


modern courtships

by nedstark



Series: radio (un)silence [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Blood and Injury, Blow Jobs, Canon-Typical Violence, Dirty Talk, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, Feelings, First Dates, First Kiss, Flirting, Friendship, Frottage, Getting to Know Each Other, Grocery Shopping, Heart-to-Heart, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love Bites, M/M, Minor Violence, Missions, Mutual Pining, Neck Kissing, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Suicidal Thoughts, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Relationship(s), Romance, Sappy, Sexting, Shopping, Sickfic, Team Dynamics, Teasing, Texting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2018-10-14 14:04:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 56
Words: 41,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10538016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nedstark/pseuds/nedstark
Summary: From: Agent ID 3945_45[11:03]hey shimada we're making a supply run is there anything you need??To: Agent ID 3945_45[11:06]Who is this?From: Agent ID 3945_45[11:07]mccreeFrom: Agent ID 3945_45[11:19]the guy with the hat??(before the actual romance comes the courtship; get ready for mutual losers in love pining over each other and their terrible attempts at flirting. oh and they also have a world to save while they're at it. which is gonna be the easiest?)





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> few tech notes  
> \- reversi won't show the workskin text format  
> \- you can either disable reversi to read this lil thing or hit hide creator's style!!  
> \- but if you hide creator's style you won't see emojis, just a description of them in brackets!!

**From: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:03]  
hey shimada we're making a supply run is there anything you need??

**To: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:06]  
Who is this?

**From: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:07]  
mccree

**From: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:19]  
the guy with the hat??

**From: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:24]  
shimada anything you need from the store??

**To: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:25]  
I will accompany you.

**To: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:26]  
I will not be an inconvenience.

**From: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:28]  
ain't an inconvenience in the slightest but you're more than welcome to tag along partner

**From: Agent ID 3945_45** [11:30]  
hangar bay 2 in 10 minutes 

**To: McCree** [11:30]  
I will be there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so begineth the mchanzo origin story!! gotta love that awkward formality when you're texting someone for the first time.
> 
> jesse, probably: ""it's a date"" SHIT cant send that delete delete  
> jesse: okay i ain't gonna flirt with genji's big brother i swear on m' spurs  
> jesse, after spending more than 10 minutes with Hanzo:........fucc
> 
> as always yall can hmu over on tumblr [@cyborging](http://cyborging.tumblr.com/)!! thanks for reading and hope you stick around!!


	2. Chapter 2

Hanzo makes it down to hangar bay two with time to spare and McCree is already leant against the side of an old pickup truck, cigarillo hanging from his mouth.

"Well howdy there." McCree greets with an easy smile, fingers touching the rim of his hat. "I'm just waiting on Mei and then we're ready to roll on out."

McCree is without his usual bright red serape, instead wearing a simple faded long sleeve red plaid shirt, leather gloves and jeans. He still has his spurred boots and hat on though, which Hanzo eyes sceptically. Hanzo himself has both his arms and his chest completely covered for a change by his standard issue black Overwatch hoodie.

Not completely unrecognisable but not asking for attention either.

Mei arrives soon, apology already out of her mouth despite being exactly on time. McCree opens the passenger side door for her with an exaggerated little flourish and she laughs, climbing in gratefully.

McCree does the same for Hanzo too, opens the door of the backseat with a little grin. Hanzo barely resists rolling his eyes and climbs in.

*

"Where is the list?"

"List?"

"The list. The shopping list. The list for shopping."

"Right up here." McCree says and taps his temple with his gloved metal hand.

*

"Oh shit look," McCree fumbles for the shopping cart and pushes it quicker down the aisle. His hands are covering Hanzo's completely. "Two for one, get a mosey on!"

McCree stops them at the paper towels and Hanzo brushes McCree's hands off his own. He slides his buzzing phone out of his pocket as McCree starts stocking up their cart.  


  


**From: Genji** [13:12]  
Let me in ugly

**To: Genji** [13:13]  
In where?

**From: Genji** [13:13]  
Uhh ur heart?? 

**From: Genji** [13:14]  
Your room!!

**From: Genji** [13:14]  
I can hear u sneaking around in there

**To: Genji** [13:15]  
Genji I'm not even in my room.

**From: Genji** [13:15]  
Lmao what

**To: Genji** [13:16]  
I am on a supply run with Mei and the cowboy.

**From: Genji** [13:17]  
YOURE SHOPPING?? YOU????

**To: Genji** [13:17]  
Yes? Why??

**From: Genji** [13:19]  
Um do remember that bad winter when that flu hit Hanamura and you had to do the shopping by yourself??

**To: Genji** [13:20]  
You swore you would never bring that up again.

**From: Genji** [13:20]  
EXACTLY

**From: Genji** [13:21]  
And yet there you are shopping

**From: Genji** [13:21]  
Rip

**To: Genji** [13:22]  
I think we are all in safe hands with McCree heading this trip.

**To: Genji** [13:23]  
He is taking it.....very seriously.

**To: Genji** [13:24]  
To say the least.

**From: Genji** [13:24]  
At least someone is (Unamused Face )(Unamused Face )

**To: Genji** [13:25]  
Shut up.

**From: Genji** [13:26]  
Has he showed you his coupon book yet?

**To: Genji** [13:27]  
No?

**From: Genji** [13:28]  
:)

**From: Genji** [13:28]  
Have fun with that!!

  


  
* 

Hanzo reaches for a box of cereal but McCree's voice stops him.

"Nope, not that one."

"You said oatmeal."

"That I did. But Reinhardt likes the stuff with the lil berry bits in them and Torb prefers the honey roasted kind."

"You're serious."

"As a heart attack." There was that easy grin again. "People have their preferences, partner."

*

"Here lemme get those." They're done with shopping and McCree takes the bags from Hanzo's hands and loads them into the truck. "You hop on in."

"I can manage."

"Nah, you bagged 'em. I got this, it's fine."

He's not in the mood to argue (shopping is draining, he has found out) so he gets comfortable in the backseat.

Mei snoozes up front thanks to the heat and it's a mostly silent journey back apart from the quiet staticky radio McCree can't help but fiddle with.

"Hey," McCree says suddenly, a low murmur. He meets Hanzo's gaze in the rear view mirror. "It's good to see you out and about. I seriously know how damn hard integrating can be, believe me."

Hanzo despairs. _Is he trying to relate to me?_

Luckily he doesn't have to dwell on it because they're already pulling into the hangar and Zenyatta is there waiting for them and so are his eight helping arms.

"Aw, Zen, you don't gotta." McCree tries but Zenyatta just glides closer.

"I am more than happy to help." He assures them serenely and McCree grins, grateful.

When McCree turns around Hanzo is already gone, along with half of the bags.


	3. Chapter 3

**From: Agent ID 3945_55** [23:45]  
hey it's hana!!! sorry if it's late but dude i saw you in training earlier and dude

**From: Hana** [23:45]  
DUDE

**From: Hana** [23:46]  
u disappeared before i had the chance to say it and idk where u hang out lol but u are severely outta this world skilled like

**From: Hana** [23:46]  
ur like so precisely and effortlessly good????

**From: Hana** [23:47]  
u ever thought about professional gaming (Eyes )(Eyes )

**To: Hana** [23:49]  
I can honestly say no, I have never.

  


_My skill was not without its price,_ Hanzo wants to write. _A severe price, the ultimate one. And it was not myself who paid it._

But Hana is already typing again and beats him to it.

  


**From: Hana** [23:51]  
!!!!!!!!!!!

**From: Hana** [23:51]  
with reflexes like yours u might actually be some potential competition for me

**From: Hana** [23:52]  
.......potentially lol

**To: Hana** [23:55]  
Then perhaps you would like to train together tomorrow evening and you can deem me potential worthy competition or not?

**From: Hana** [23:56]  
ohhhhhh perhaps u can bet ur butt i would!!!!

**From: Hana** [23:56]  
it's on!!! ( ಠ◡ಠ )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gained one (1) uncle/niece figure
> 
> for real now tho every comment on this has made my day yall are the absolute best you either have me in stitches or nearly cryign lmao


	4. Chapter 4

Hana discovers one of the few places Hanzo "hangs out" is one of his various perches dotted around the watchpoint. They are a sanctuary, almost. It certainly feels like that now, sat with his legs folded beneath him, just himself and Storm Bow. That is until he hears the approaching jangling of spurred boots.

A shadow falls across him as someone (who else?) leans against the railings and blocks out the sun. Hanzo glances up.

"Do you mind?"

"No, siree." McCree smiles and takes himself a seat beside him, bold as brass.

"Whatcha got there?"

Hanzo stares at him. "A bow?"

McCree waves a hand. "Naw, not that. Your drink there."

"Sweet herbal tea."

"Smells pretty good."

"You would be surprised then at how awful it tastes." Hanzo says after a steady pause.

"Really?" McCree grins, tipping his hat back with a flick of his finger. "Shame."

After a few more awkward moments of silence and stunted attempts at conversation, Hanzo rises and tips the dregs of his mug over the railings of the balcony. He retrieves his bow and after only a slight hesitation offers a nod of his head to McCree in farewell.

"See ya round, partner." McCree sighs, but it's carried away by the breeze and Hanzo is already gone. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the notes for this fic are............monstrous. especially for someone who hasn't had a single coherent thought in her life sjfhsdfjl (and that's before the html fff)
> 
> BUT!! this is such a labour of love and i do really love writing it. i think i have most of this written so in theory updates should be pretty semi-regular?? *shoots self in the foot lmao*


	5. Chapter 5

**To: the green devil** [17:02]  
that brother of yours got an allergy or somethin??

**From: the green devil** [17:09]  
Uh not that I know of??

**To: the green devil** [17:13]  
cause genji I swear down the poor fella breaks out in hives at the very idea of a conversation

**From: the green devil** [17:14]  
You'll get there I'm sure

**From: the green devil** [17:15]  
Eventually (Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )(Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )


	6. Chapter 6

**From: McCree** [10:20]  
hey I'm making another supply run you want your usual??

**To: McCree** [10:25]  
As usual, I will accompany you.

**From: McCree** [10:26]  
as usual you really don't have to but as usual I appreciate the company ;)

  


  
* 

McCree's sitting up on the hood of the truck playing with his phone when Hanzo arrives at hangar bay two. He jumps down when Hanzo approaches. He's wearing a dark blue plaid shirt over a t-shirt with a cartoon cactus on it with _gimme a hug_ written in cursive below it.

McCree walks around the truck but Hanzo pauses at the door. 

"Where are the others?"

"We're running solo today partner." McCree climbs into the driver's seat and pats the passenger seat. "Alrighty, hope on in. You get shotgun."

*

Someone roughly elbows him in the ribs and out of the way to get to the shelves and it's only McCree's warning hold on his wrist that stops him from lashing out automatically, defensively.

"Excuse you there ma'am," McCree says amiably, but his eyes are hard. "You just crashed into my friend here."

The old woman barely spares them a glance.

Hanzo frowns at her retreating back. "How rude."

"Can't be helped." McCree says grimly. "'Specially not the likes of Old Valeria yonder. She's a right harpy and then some."

"What did you do?"

"Not a single thing!"

"Maybe she is offended by your presence."

"Wouldn't be the first." McCree agrees with a sigh. He hooks his thumbs into his belt-loops. "Ah, well. Can't win 'em all. Gave up on her the seventh time I introduced myself. Called it quits completely when she mowed me down with her cart. For the second time. That day."

"Famed sharpshooting outlaw Jesse McCree left to the mercy of an old woman. No wonder you need backup here."

McCree snorts and bumps him with his shoulder. Hanzo turns his head away, hiding his small smile.

"C'mon, try again but listen; you can't let people push you round in here. They smell doubt, feed on fear." McCree throws a dark look at the woman, the harpy, lurking behind a stand of sunglasses. She's making a terrible show of acting like she isn't watching them. "And _especially_ not when it comes to bargains and Old Valeria. Lord, she's so cheap she wouldn't pay a nickel to see Jesus ridin' a goddamned bicycle if you'll pardon my language."

*

Hanzo pushes the cart and they get in line but McCree is watching something at the doors of the store.

"Wait right here, I'll be back in a tick."

"McCree, no, you have the money--"

But McCree is already ducking past shoppers to approach a lady struggling at the exit. She has a baby on her hip and another baby in a stroller straining under too many grocery bags for it and herself to handle.

Hanzo watches McCree catch her lagging groceries and gently take her bags from her after introducing himself. He can't hear them from where he's stood but the woman looks immediately relieved when McCree offers his help. They leave through the sliding doors together, McCree craning around the woman to coo at her wide-eyed baby.

Hanzo would roll his eyes if it wasn't his turn next in line. He was going to kill McCree.

He's only sweating a little when the cashier rings up all his items (perhaps they did tabs at grocery stores?) just as a breathless McCree appears back at his side, wallet held up.

"Well now ain't that some good timing! Lucky."

"Yes, lucky for you." Hanzo promises.

*

They're leaving the store when it happens. A tourist asks Hanzo for directions, McCree doesn't realise and carries on walking and talking without him so they're both distracted and separated when a sharp slap rings out in the parking lot followed by a scandalised gasp.

Hanzo whips his head around, already on high alert, hands clenching for the familiarity of his bow. He quickly finds the source. The old woman Valeria is having a tug of war with someone over her purse. The thief has a scarf tugged up high on their face but Hanzo can still see the terror in their eyes when McCree calls out sharply in Spanish.

The thief roughly shoves the old woman and sends her crashing to the ground. They grab the bag and stumble, turning around and staggering towards Hanzo's direction.

Hanzo crosses his arms over his chest and is almost flattered when the thief takes one look at him and his scowl and decides to take their chances with McCree after all and flees in the opposite direction.

Without hesitation McCree drops the grocery bags in his hands and flings his arm out, the metal one, and clotheslines the would be thief. The force of it flips them mid-air and they land in a groaning pile at McCree's feet, face down. McCree scrapes them up off the floor by the scruff of their neck and quite literally hands him over to the rushing store security.

"Miss Valeria, y'all right there?" McCree asks gently, and then again in Spanish. He crouches down and offers a hand to her which she takes and McCree helps her back to her feet.

She glares at them then, sending particularly sharp daggers McCree's way as she snatches her torn bag from his hands and screeches something back in Spanish, gesturing at the broken strap. McCree shakes his head distantly and looks back at Hanzo disbelievingly. Hanzo just shrugs. _Can't win 'em all._

The Harpy storms away, hissing and spitting. Hanzo takes her place beside McCree.

McCree sighs and puts his hands on his hips. "I swear _this_ time I'm giving up on her for real."

Hanzo doubts it. Not Jesse McCree, who helps struggling mothers and old women, no matter how rude they may be. Not Jesse McCree and his heart of gold. 

Hanzo glances down and suppresses a sigh. A gold to match that ridiculous belt buckle.

*

"Did you see it? She damn near slapped the face clear off that fella!"

"No, I did not. I was too busy giving somebody wrong directions."

"Purposefully wrong or tryna be helpful but still knew you had no idea what the hell you were talkin' about wrong?"

Hanzo hesitates, considering. "Yes."

"Fair enough." McCree hauls the last of the groceries out of the truck and wipes his forehead with the back of his arm. "Back to the good ol' stomping ground then. Same time next week?"

Hanzo doesn't hesitate. He takes the bags from McCree. "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S A DATE
> 
> (no old women were harmed in the writing of this chapter)


	7. Chapter 7

**From: McCree** [20:49]  
hey now that's MISTER ass master supreme to you!!

**To: McCree** [20:50]  
Excuse me?

**From: McCree** [20:50]  
shit omgosd honz wrong shimada i'm rreal sorry

**To: McCree** [20:52]  
Do I want to know?

**From: McCree** [20:53]  
heh oh boy wellll (Eyes )(Eyes )(Eyes )

**To: McCree** [20:54]  
I have decided I do not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honz
> 
> current status: mildly dying of flu like wtf it's spring lms to nudge me closer towards a cliff and my untimely but desired end (is The Plague i have gonna stop me from updating ya can betcha ass it won't)
> 
> also i'd say one more chapter and then things really start rolling *thumbs up emoji*


	8. Chapter 8

**To: the green devil** [20:54]  
as if I've literally just texted your brother I'm the ass master supreme by mistake

**From: the green devil** [20:55]  
No you did not..........

**To: the green devil** [20:56]  
one attachment: screenshot

**From: the green devil** [20:26]  
Jesse oh my god

**To: the green devil** [20:57]  
I know

**From: the green devil** [20:57]  
JESSE (Skull )(Skull )(Skull )(Skull )

**To: the green devil** [20:58]  
pls ur meant to reassure me it ain't that bad

**From: the green devil** [20:59]  
Oh no it is that bad

**From: the green devil** [21:00]  
For YOU

**To: the green devil** [21:00]  
s top

**From: the green devil** [21:01]  
I am so used to giving and now I get to receive

**To: the green devil** [21:02]  
I hate u

**To: the green devil** [21:02]  
loathe

**From: the green devil** [21:04]  
Would you like me to give him context??

**To: the green devil** [21:05]  
........u wouldn't

**From: the green devil** [21:05]  
(Eyes )(Eyes )

**To: the green devil** [21:06]  
should've let that k45 get ur cyborg ass back in singapore goddamn

**From: the green devil** [21:07]  
(Smiling Face With Halo )(Smiling Face With Halo )(Smiling Face With Halo )(Smiling Face With Halo )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> genji living up to his contact name


	9. Chapter 9

Of course McCree would be the one unfortunate enough to face his full ire. It's been building ever since he arrived, ever since his brother's offer and Hanzo can't bite it back any longer. The sickening vice of his fears spike through him so sharply it leaves him lurching, but it is the dread, the eventuality of what is surely to come and how helpless he is to it that leaves him reeling. It leaves him _fuming_. And the cowboy is the one at the opening floodgates.

Hanzo flexes his fingers and clenches his fist. He can feel the dragons stir beneath his skin, writhing along with his brimming anger as McCree holds up placating hands as if he is dealing with some kind of spooked horse. He has no idea. "Don't pitch a fit now."

"I am not pitching anything. It is the truth. It is _fact_." Hanzo rounds on him. "You are all of you playing at heroes. It did not work the first time and it will not work this time either."

"Justice ain't gonna dispense itself," McCree purses his lips, shrugs, but he's tense, wound up tight. "Don't knock it 'til you try it."

"Have you not buried enough of your teammates? You wish to bury more? It is the only possible outcome."

McCree stills and takes a long drag of his cigarillo. "That what you think?"

"That is what I _know_." Hanzo says sharply, imperious. "You would do well to know the same."

"Oh, _bite me_." McCree growls and stubs out his cigarillo in his metal palm in one quick hiss. Hanzo watches him storm away from the corner of his eye and he knows he's touched more than just a nerve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooofff hanzo you can't just bring mccree's ""dead"" adoptive dad into it like that smh
> 
> thanks again for the support in any way for this it worms me heart it truly does (and really sorry if any reply to a comment ever comes off as abrupt or anything i've got some killer social anxiety but i'm trying!!)
> 
> tumbs: [cyborging](http://cyborging.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

"And you were doing so well." Genji tuts, teasing good naturedly.

"Stop." Hanzo's head throbs. He can barely unclench his jaw. "I do not know what to say to him. To any of them."

"Then find common ground." Genji suggests.

"There is no common ground."

"You don't even know him."

"Exactly. And not for not wanting to try."

"Then try."

"I _am_. He told me to bite him."

He's almost startled by the sudden familiar hiss and click of locks unclasping. His brother's face plate sits a lonely chrome curve in his lap and when Hanzo looks up he's met with Genji's scarred, even stare.

"You would be surprised how similar you actually are, brother." Genji tilts his head, considering. "Stubborn is a word that comes to mind."

Hanzo sighs, shoulders slumping, and Genji wins this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good pep talk genjiman (next chapter is longer i swear lmao)


	11. Chapter 11

The kitchen is a mild buzz this morning, half full and including McCree. Hanzo will not shy away from either. 

McCree is reading the morning paper at the kitchen table and doesn't look up when Hanzo walks in and heads straight for the unoccupied coffee maker, but he _does_ look up a few minutes later when Hanzo places a steaming mug in front of him.

Hanzo hopes McCree accepts it for what it is. For the apology Hanzo can't quite speak aloud just yet.

A soft exhale of air, a scoff maybe or a snort, a smile. McCree takes an experimental sip of his coffee and deeming it worthy kicks back the empty chair beside him and gestures to it. Hanzo sits.

*

"How's about it? We mosey on down to the target range you can show me how handy you _really_ are with that bow of yours. Impress me enough and I might even let ya try my gun." McCree smirks but then tenses beside him, spine rigid, and folds up his newspaper. "Too late, lord help us." Is all the warning McCree offers before Torbjörn descends.

"Wait right there, McCree. Where do you think you're going? Don't you think I didn't notice you missed dinner last night, brooding away in your room." McCree sheepishly turns around on his heel from sneaking out of the kitchen door. Hanzo hadn't even realised he'd moved. McCree rubs the back of his neck as Torbjörn shepherds him back to the table.

"Aw, Torb c'mon."

"You would think you were be used to him and his fussing by now, Jesse!!" Reinhardt booms jovially from the stove. He's brandishing a spatula and wearing a pink apron so bright Hanzo almost has to squint and so big they could probably use it as a tent.

Hanzo glances up when a plate of buttery toast and a glass of orange juice are set in front of him too. "You too, Shimada. Don't you think I'll take it easy on you just because you're a newcomer. Eat up."

Hanzo is bemused but the encouraging look on McCree's face (who's dutifully tucking into his own breakfast) is enough for him to bite back his protests and take a bite of toast instead.

Genji leans over and says in Japanese. "He tried it on me too when I first joined. I had to get him an actual doctor's note from Angela before he would believe me that I didn't need to eat."

"Stop that gossiping." Torbjörn grumbles, despite not knowing a word of Japanese and prods Genji's shoulder with the arm not piled full of plates to be washed.

Genji sniggers and swats Torbjörn away. "Indulge him, brother. He may be gruff but he likes to take care of people. And we could all do with more people like that in our lives."

 _Perhaps we do_ , Hanzo thinks as McCree slides his last slice of toast over to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> torbjorn descending
> 
>  


	12. Chapter 12

**To: McCree** [14:44]  
Just say it.

**To: McCree** [14:44]  
Say it, McCree.

**From: McCree** [14:45]  
you....

**From: McCree** [14:45]  
you push the cart too slow

**From: McCree** [14:46]  
I'm real sorry but thats just how I feel!!

**To: McCree** [14:47]  
Well your choice of fabric softener is abysmal.

**To: McCree** [14:47]  
Along with your hat and your belt buckle.

**From: McCree** [14:48]  
aw hanzo why you always gotta bring a fella's hat into this >:(

**From: McCree** [14:49]  
ur getting on my last nerve lmao

**To: McCree** [14:49]  
You get on ALL my nerves.

**From: McCree** [14:50]  
what can I say?? it's a gift

**From: McCree** [14:51]  
but what fine nerves to be on ;P

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jesse during that one minute between those last two texts: BOY IM BOUT TO DO IT!!!!


	13. Chapter 13

Hanzo overhears before he can help it.

"Hey now, you don't gotta apologise one bit, you hear?" McCree hands over something Hanzo can't see. "Y'all know how old I was when I was recruited to Blackwatch?"

From around the corner, Hanzo sees Hana shake her head and wipe at her eyes with a tissue McCree must have given her. 

"Seventeen. Same age you joined that MEKA program of yours. And before that, gang life."

Lúcio whistles. Hanzo can see him now, he's lying flat on his back on the seating, staring up at the lofty rafters of the training room. He sniffles and sighs. "Seventeen? That's heavy, man."

"Wasn't much choice back then, not from around my parts." McCree shrugs a shoulder but his smile is tight. "Guess y'all could say I was just too good at being bad."

"Gang life. Soldier life. The three of us," Hana pulls a face. "Did we ever get the chance to just be kids?"

"Don't rightly know about that one, sweetie. But I _do_ know plenty of folk out in the world has, thanks to what we've done. What we _do_."

Hana's smile is like the crack of sunlight streaming through the clouds. Her eyes shine for a different reason now. "What's that word? Kindled spirits?"

"Kindred." McCree beams and drops his hat onto a laughing Hana's head.

Lúcio offers up both his fists, grinning. "Here's to kindred spirits, amigos. Bring it in."

The grinning trio bring it in and bump fists, sealing the deal.


	14. Chapter 14

**From: McCree** [21:20]  
that stuff in that jar you bought from the market looked nasty as hell

**To: McCree** [21:21]  
I promise it is considered a delicacy.

**To: McCree** [21:21]  
Even if it does make you gag.

**From: McCree** [21:22]  
the same as that stuff in your tea??

**To: McCree** [21:23]  
No, something different and just as disgusting.

**From: McCree** [21:24]  
a damn shame

**From: McCree** [21:25]  
naw ur so fancy I betcha only eat gucci for dinner ;P

**To: McCree** [21:26]  
Ridiculous.

**To: McCree** [21:26]  
As if I would eat anything other than Prada.

**To: McCree** [21:27]  
Or the souls of the innocent.

**From: McCree** [21:28]  
lord you're a hoot!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i woke up in a cold sweat last night from a nightmare they confirmed jesse had a random wife and kid............jfc imagine
> 
> edit: LORD!!!! [danudaine](http://danudaine.tumblr.com/) drew the most precious blushy smitten hanzo!!! lookit that nerd!!! please be sure to check out the [original post](http://danudaine.tumblr.com/post/161235645919) and show it all the love!!! we weren't sure which chapter to post it in but i think it fits really well here!! thank you so so much dani i really can't even tell you how much i love it with all my heart ❤️❤️❤️❤️


	15. Chapter 15

**To: the pink devil** [16:40]  
afternoon hana how's that training of yours going??

**To: the pink devil** [16:41]  
what was it you said?? your shoulders were hurting you like a bitch sandwich??

**From: the pink devil** [16:42]  
yea omfgh i couldn't even draw the bow back on the first day my shoulders were killin me rip

**From: the pink devil** [16:42]  
but!!! i know i've improved already!! cause hanzo said so!!! (▰˘◡˘▰)

**From: the pink devil** [16:43]  
i don't know how to repay him like it really means a lot and i know he's probably really busy with his own stuff and doesn't wanna spend all his time with some kid lol

**To: the pink devil** [16:45]  
woah hold your horses there he wouldntve offered if he didn't wanna do it and teach you!!

**To: the pink devil** [16:46]  
and he's definitely the type to tell ya exactly when he's reached his limits lmao

**From: the pink devil** [16:47]  
hmm and i wonder why YOU would know that information??? (Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**To: the pink devil** [16:48]  
I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's a gift lmao


	16. Chapter 16

"You knew Genji, before the recall." It's the first time he's brought it up and the first time he feels like he can. Like he might finally maybe have the right to broach the subject, like he's ready to actually drag it into the light and not bury it in the darkness of his past.

"Sure did, we go way back. Uh, not as way back as the two of y'all of course. He was Blackwatch for a while when he first joined but then Morrison _promoted_ him on up to Overwatch," McCree scoffs. "Genji hated it. Don't get me wrong he hated a good deal of everythin' back then but Morrison straight up rippin' him up and outta where he'd finally started to plant some roots? I think he kinda resented him for that for a good long while but who could blame him for it? He still reported to Morrison of course but jumped at the chance to work with Blackwatch again."

McCree takes a deep drag of his cigarillo and offers it to Hanzo. Hanzo shakes his head. "I got some old pictures from back in the day if you wanna swing by my room later?"

*

Later, McCree seems surprised to say the least to see Hanzo at his door but he steps back from the doorway with an inviting smile all the same.

He kicks a pile of laundry under his bunk as Hanzo passes. "Uh, sorry about the mess."

"You invite me here and then apologise about the mess?"

"......yes."

Hanzo perches on his unmade bed and accepts the tablet McCree hands him. His eyes almost bulge out of his head when he sees the picture.

" _That_ is Genji?"

It's a picture taken mid-training. A thrumming young Tracer is in the background, but that's not who his gaze is drawn to. Genji is scarred and more than half machine, metal tubes protruding from a half bared chest. His left arm is bared also and Hanzo can't ignore the bittersweet irony.

But the thing that truly guts him is the hate in Genji's red eyes as he glares at something off camera, the hardness beyond his years. _He did that_.

"Sure is." But McCree sounds fond. "I recognised you right away." He nods at Hanzo's chest and guffaws when Hanzo elbows him in the ribs.

McCree's loose hair tickles his neck when he leans close to swipe to a new picture. "Pretty sure Gabe had a framed picture of this on his desk back in the day." McCree snorts.

Genji has McCree's hat on, tilted at a jaunty angle with red eyes leering out from the shadowed rim of the hat. He has one arm wrapped around McCree's waist to squeeze into the shot and he's leant on his katana like a walking stick, hilt up. He's flipping the camera off.

McCree looks the youngest Hanzo's ever seen him, at the very least ten or fifteen years younger than the man at his side now. His hair is much shorter too, just about falling into his hooded eyes and shorn close at the back. McCree has both flesh arms, one of them slung lazily across Genji's shoulders, cigarillo in hand, and two of Genji's shuriken literally sticking out of his other arm, and a hip cocked. There's wildfire in his eyes and he brazenly stares down the camera with his head tilted back, chin raised. Too sly for charm. A taunt.

They're both clad in matching black, Genji in the surreal black and red armour so contrastingly different to the bright white and green armour he wears today and McCree in mostly the dark uniform he guesses must belong to Blackwatch; tight short sleeved roll neck, combat pants and combat boots. He doesn't think the vivid red neckerchief at his throat half covering his chest armour and unfamiliar but just as gaudy belt buckle were standard issue though.

He's been staring too long, and not just at Genji. He purses his lips and taps the screen over the injury on McCree's arm. "Too slow."

McCree grins and scratches his beard. "Would you believe I did that to m'self?"

"You embedded yourself on two shuriken," Hanzo says, exasperated. "Yes, I believe that."

"Genji did warn me, in fairness. Best thing about Blackwatch uniform though?" McCree raises his eyebrows, head tilted back ever so slightly. His eyes gleam. _Wildfire_. "Darker than the blood you spilt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gabe had that picture in his wallet too
> 
> i was writing this chapter when the uprising comic came out confirming blackwatch genji #blesst took some liberties on jesse's uniform tho!! unfortunately for hanzo u couldn't see the three inch spurred heels he was wearing lmfao
> 
> get ready for some vitamin c yall cause things are about to get juicier


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no nicknames in groupchats for my own health lmao

**Groupchat: Pancake Tits**  


**From: Fareeha** [23:04]  
Let genji say fuck

**Lena changed the group photo.**  


**From: Lúcio** [23:05]  
It's not pancake day anymore tho kenaf

**From: Jesse** [23:06]  
Jesus died for those pancake tits

**From: Lúcio** [23:06]  
**Lena haha wtf

**From: Angela** [23:08]  
I see those dirty dishes someone left in the kitchen sink!!!!!!!

**From: Jesse** [23:09]  
Jesus died for those dirty dishes to be left in the kitchen sink

**From: Angela** [23:10]  
Jesse shut the fuck up

**From: Genji** [23:12]  
Yeah shut the Duck up Jesse

**From: Jesse** [23:12]  
(Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**From: Hana** [23:13]  
things are heating up in the pancake tits groupchat (Eyes )(Eyes )

**From: Angela** [23:14]  
Oh wait they're mine hahaha

**From: Lúcio** [23:14]  
It's not pancake day anymore tho!!!!!!

**From: Jesse** [23:15]  
Easter tits

**From: Zarya** [23:16]  
No meat Friday tits

**From: Winston** [23:17]  
Good Friday tits.

**Hana added  Hanzo to the groupchat.**  


**From: Jesse** [23:17]  
what Good Tits you have this friday

**From: Jesse** [23:17]  
oh shit wait

**From: Lúcio** [23:18]  
LMFAO

**From: Lena** [23:18]  
You wot mate!!! (Face With Tears Of Joy )(Skull )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**From: Hana** [23:18]  
bruh

**From: Jesse** [23:19]  
naw forget all yall

**From: Fareeha** [23:20]  
LET GENJI SAY FUCK

**From: Genji** [23:21]  
Stop it I am trying to be a good fucking influence on the kids >:(

**From: Hanzo** [23:22]  
Genji you are the biggest child here.

**From: Genji** [23:23]  
I am a grown ass man thank u very much!!!

**From: Genji** [23:24]  
Zenyatta says so (Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**From: Zenyatta** [23:26]  
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mccree: *kill bill sirens*
> 
> i know for a fact more than half of them are in the same room as each other


	18. Chapter 18

"Lord almighty, it's blowin' up a storm out there." McCree whistles lowly when they pull into the parking lot. He drums his fingers on the steering wheel and watches the heavy rain pelting the windscreen as the raising winds rock the truck. He grins and looks over at Hanzo. "You ready to make a run for it?"

They jump from the truck at the same time, doors slamming shut behind them and they dart towards the shelter of the store together.

McCree holds his hat onto his head with one hand and with the other grabs a hold of Hanzo's arm while they run like he can't help himself or maybe he just doesn't trust himself not to slip in his boots.

Hanzo shoulders him away without mercy because he knows McCree has no choice but to splash right through a huge puddle or risk falling flat on his ass at the disbalance and he hears McCree's indignant cackle over the loud rainfall. Hanzo can't help but laugh too and then they're two idiots laughing together in the rain, running like there's no tomorrow.

McCree tries to grab for him again and then suddenly it's a race and people are hastily throwing themselves out of their way but Hanzo's already at the shopping carts and under the sloping sheltering roof, victorious. And soaking. And full of mirth until he turns around and the laughter dies in his throat.

McCree's on his heels and a light jog brings him right up to Hanzo's side. He's breathless with delight, the sudden excursion bringing a bounce to his sure steps. Hanzo takes him in, his soaked shirt clings to him and leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination and Hanzo watches with a suddenly dry mouth as McCree whips his hat off to comb his damp hair back from his face in one smooth, practised sweep of his arm. McCree's hair is darker when wet and in the misty haze of the humidity and the rain looks almost black. His eyes though, his eyes _shine_.

"Aw you big cheat." McCree huffs, sounding far too fond. Hanzo heavily blinks the rain from his eyes. "Well, I reckon you get to push the cart then, mister winner. However slow you like."

*

McCree scratches the back of his neck, looking perplexed at the choices in front him. "Don't make a lick of sense."

"They both taste the same," Hanzo insists. He's damp and irritable despite McCree's best attempts at banter and he can feel the dragons stir beneath his skin for some reason he can't put a name to, not yet. He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Please just decide."

"Hold your horses a sec." McCree rests a warm broad palm on the small of Hanzo's back and leans across and up to grab something off the shelf.

"Compromise," he says with a smile. "Lúcio likes this stuff best, don't he?"

"I...." He can still feel the heat of McCree's hand on his body and he also keenly feels it's absence. The dragons are practically writhing. Hanzo swallows. "Yes, he likes it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [soundtrack for reading/writing this chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15_Y3_eRfOU)
> 
> edit: my dudes.....my super sweet buddy [taron](http://yukimin.tumblr.com/) just Blesst my gay ass on this day,, please note that on the 11th day of pride month she both killed me and resurrected me [with her art](http://yukimin.tumblr.com/post/161701845371/aaaaaanyway-i-havent-posted-art-in-10-billion) and it's deadass the most perfect thing i've ever been lucky enough to lay eyes on??? thank you so much taron i'm love you!!!!! ♥♥♥♥


	19. Chapter 19

The weather clears and Hanzo scales the comm tower only to find his perch already occupied.

The cut of the architect Satya Vaswani's profile is as sheer and beautiful as the cliffs of Gibraltar around them. She doesn't startle when she sees Hanzo, just raises two perfect eyebrows at him as they regard each other silently.

And then she smiles, a small tilt of her lips. She gestures with an elegant hand to the space beside her and Hanzo sits without hesitation. There's a bottle between them, one Hanzo recognises because he bought it himself on a supply run with McCree not a few hours ago, and she offers it to him. Hanzo knocks it back and the burn of it is so strong it brings tears to his eyes, spluttering. Satya laughs.

It's the start of something beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> juicy chapter tomorrow 2 make up 4 the short chapter today *peace sign emoji* also my flu is almost all gone hallelujah but my hearing hasn't fully returned yet rip


	20. Chapter 20

The sun is just about rising when Hanzo pads into the kitchen on feet he can't be bothered to keep light and a hangover just about lingers in his head thanks to Satya, her impressive taste in alcohol and his nonexistent impulse control and he's barely fully conscious but the rich scent of caffeine and the person fiddling at the coffee maker is more than enticing enough to perk him up.

McCree looks as bleary as Hanzo feels, dead on his feet, but the warm smile that curls his mouth at Hanzo's arrival definitely wakes him up better than any cup of coffee ever could.

"Had a feelin' you'd be up." McCree yawns, belatedly covering his mouth with one hand and scratching at the bared slice of tan belly Hanzo sees as his shirt rides up. "Can't sleep neither?"

"I am not used to the luxury of sleeping in late."

"I hear you." McCree murmurs and pours out a cup for Hanzo too.

Hanzo sits at the table but McCree stays standing, leant back with his elbows on the counter, and it's there Hanzo can quietly appreciate the full length of him and his equally sleep ruffled appearance. He's wearing boxers and a faded t-shirt and it's the most bare skin Hanzo's seen of him. McCree is scarred, tawny, and hairy all over and his usually loose tousled hair is messily scraped up out of his face, or maybe he slept with it like that, rolled out of bed like that.

But the thing that has Hanzo's head spinning and heart hammering in his chest is that McCree looks completely at ease in his presence, the gunslinger stripped of his armours. Completely off guard, complete and total trust in front of him. _McCree trusts him_.

"Caught Hana and Lúcio trying to sneak off to bed just now. Reckon they pulled an all-nighter by the way they were shuffling 'round like the walkin' dead." McCree huffs a tired laugh. "Hana was in a different dimension altogether bless her but Lúcio was so out of it he was as good as hyperventilatin' when he saw me 'cause he thought I'd gone and lost my hat. He was shouting for Athena and she was all, _Agent McCree's hat may be a valued member of Overwatch but technically does not count as a code red if missing, which it fortunately isn't._ And then Lúcio was all, _promise me you'll send me a picture of the hat, man. I won't be able to sleep at night._ And I was just like well that's a damn fact seeing as it's the ass crack of dawn!"

Hanzo can't help his snort. "Their own faults then. I will show them no mercy in training later."

"I'll drink to that." Hanzo can see the devilment in McCree's eyes as he raises his cup.

He's enjoying sharing space and silence with McCree and that McCree seems to enjoy it just as much as him makes it even more enjoyable. There's a contentedness he cannot and does not want to deny. That there's no need to fill the comfortable quiet with conversation, though even in McCree's usual ceaseless chatter he's found a unique peace in him. _With_ him.

But he's still feeling like death warmed up (by coffee) and his long hair is a rats nest over his shoulder. He futilely attempts to comb his fingers through it to no avail and rubs at his eyes with a displeased grunt, and the early morning sun is streaming through the windows fully when he catches McCree staring at him with an odd look on his face.

Hanzo frowns and lowers his cup. "What?"

"God," McCree sighs wistful, cradling his own coffee to his chest. "You're just lovely, y'know that?"

Hanzo stills and stares at him in return and he definitely doesn't choke or scald his throat on his next gulp. "Are you sleepwalking?"

McCree snorts, smoothing down his scruffy beard. "Not once in my life and I surely didn't start last night neither."

Hanzo hums, staring out towards the window and finishes his coffee. He's always preferred tea but it's sweet and full of cream, just how he likes it and he can never say no and McCree knows that. McCree knows how he takes his coffee. He's never felt more suddenly startlingly awake in his life as he rises and crosses the kitchen, stands beside McCree and rinses his cup out in the sink.

"Thank you for the coffee." He inclines his head. McCree is watching him too, just out of the corner of his eye. They're so close their bare arms brush, McCree is so incredibly warm. "It was _lovely_."

"Anytime." He's positive he doesn't imagine McCree purposefully bumping his hip against his own with a little grin. "See you later, Hanzo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for every time i go off on how beautiful and good jesse is (so all the time) jesse's thinking the exact same about hanzo
> 
> a million relieved thanks to my friend who read through this chapter for me when i was Stressin 2 Death


	21. Chapter 21

**From: McCree** [09:20]  
please tell me you don't understand a word these kids are saying neither

  


Hanzo barely glances up from his phone.

  


**To: McCree** [09:21]  
I would be surprised if you understood a word anyone says.

**To: McCree** [09:21]  
Ever.

  


Hanzo smirks and sips his tea at McCree's loud tut from the opposite end of the table.

  


**From: McCree** [09:23]  
well don't u just say the sweetest things (Unamused Face )(Unamused Face )

**From: McCree** [09:24]  
so tell me then ur highest and mightiest, you know what the hell they're talking about??

**To: McCree** [09:25]  
Of course I do.

**From: McCree** [09:26]  
welllll then be my guest and go right ahead and explain it to little old me

**From: McCree** [09:27]  
and pls don't use ur big words on us simpler folk now (Face With Head-Bandage )(Face With Head-Bandage )

**From: McCree** [09:27]  
and no using urban dictionary you big cheat!!!

  


Hanzo grumbles and closes the tab he was about to type into, rolling his eyes as he glanced up. McCree was grinning at him and winked when their eyes met, shooting off a quick finger gun.

Caught, Hanzo thought when he couldn't help the curve of his smile, in more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can't wait for hanzo to learn the error of his rude ways (terrible attempts at flirting or not) and realise completely just how much mccree absolutely is not ""the dumb one"" a lot of people make him out to be and is in fact one of the most ruthless people in overwatch, if not THE most like there's a reason his bounty is MEGA
> 
> this fic has defo evolved from what it first was when i started writing it and this was one of the first chapters i wrote before deciding to split the story into two parts so a lot of modern courtships was written around this chapter and it's wild to think it's finally been posted
> 
> the biggest thank you as always from the bottom of my lil heart for all the kind comments and support, yall are the best ❤️


	22. Chapter 22

**To: han zolo** [23:35]  
I'm just sayin surely havin ya nip out violates about ten health and safety regulations

**From: han zolo** [23:36]  
I cannot have my arm restricted.

**To: han zolo** [23:37]  
SINCE WHENS UR TIDDY UR ARM

**From: han zolo** [23:37]  
Are you complaining?

**To: han zolo** [23:40]  
.......

**To: han zolo** [23:44]  
well NO not rightly no

**From: han zolo** [23:49]  
lol.

  


"Holy mother of fuck." Jesse wheezes, wide-eyed. His cigarillo drops out of his open mouth. "Oh my shittin' hell, did he just--"

  


*

  


**To: Satya** [23:50]  
Your advice is terrible.

**From: Satya** [23:51]  
And yet you keep asking for it.

**To: Satya** [23:52]  
I have never once in my entire life said lol.

**From: Satya** [23:53]  
Please don't ""pitch a hissy fit now darlin""

**To: Satya** [23:54]  
I hate you more than life itself.

**From: Satya** [23:54]  
Yeehaw.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what kinda over 100 words kinda chapter witchcraft is this

Winston briefs them before they leave.

"There should be minimum media coverage but people are bound to have something to say about us seemingly picking around in rubble but this needs to remain a safe zone before they can clear it and that's why we're here."

"Oh, I'll handle the media." Hana promises them.

Zarya barks a laugh.

"Technically it _is_ a safe zone but they've had reports of illicit activity and even a sighting of roving rogue omnics. You're just going be checking it over and also looking for any weapon caches." Winston pushes his glasses back up his nose. "That doesn't mean you're not all on constant vigilance. You're going there because they don't know what we'll find. So be prepared." And then adds a little mournfully, like he can't help it. "Please."

Zarya shrugs. "Is no problem."

Winston clears his throat and nods, scrolling through his tablet for anything he's missed.

"You all know the strategy, you all have your scanners, all have the appropriate gear. Be wary in particular for unstable structures both above and below, falling debris, toxic fumes, hostiles, omnics included, bombs, drones and triggered traps."

"Sooooo, everything?" Hana asks wryly.

"Yes." Winston says completely seriously.

"The usual then." Torbjörn sighs.

"Nah, piece of pie." McCree assures them and Hanzo wants to believe him.

*

McCree whistles when he sees him and sweeps his hat off his head, fanning himself off with it. He definitely wasn't looking at Hanzo's face. "Well howdy there."

"Are you addressing myself or my chest?" Hanzo asks flatly.

McCree doesn't even have the good grace to look guilty at being caught sneaking a peek.

"Your mighty fine self of course." He smiles and puts his hat back on. "But you're gonna catch yourself old _and_ pneumonia dressed like that."

"I have already told you I cannot have my arm restricted."

"And I still ain't complaining." McCree murmurs with smoky grin, thumbing Hanzo's nipple as he drifts past him into the shuttle.

*

Zarya lands them at the edge of the safe zone. It's mostly smoking rubble and buildings in various states of ruin. Hanzo doesn't know what happened here but he does know the good they plan on doing in the wake of the disaster.

Hana and himself are the only ones still at the shuttle. Hana is thoroughly checking over her MEKA one last time and she steps back, dusting her hands off with a pleased look on her face.

"Ready?" Hanzo asks with a small smile

"Born ready." She climbs into her MEKA. It thrums to life beneath her hands. "Be safe!" Hana tells him before he has a chance to say it to her himself. "Come back in one piece or I'll kick your ass!"

*

His scanner keeps glitching. He tries to recalibrate it to no success and his comm offers only static.

If he continues on it means he's walking in there blind, something Winston would have a heart attack over, but there's something _purposely_ interfering with his gear and he can't just walk away from it.

Hanzo frowns, glances around and scales a small sturdy looking ruin and presses himself into the shadows. He's still considering his limited options (Winston would urge him to return to the shuttle, he knows that) when McCree walks right past him, frowning down at his own scanner. 

It looks like he's stumbled straight out of a western movie and into a dystopian one. Anyone else watching this would have to rub their eyes to believe what they were seeing. He still cuts a striking image though, still so ruggedly handsome Hanzo can't and doesn't want to look away. The hero strutting in to save the day.

McCree curses under his breath, shakes the scanner and taps it hard against his palm. "Piece of junk, I _will_ shoot your ass." He mutters to himself. "How's about some fuckin' cooperation?"

"Try asking it nicely." Hanzo deadpans and quietly delights in McCree jumping out of his skin, hand on his holster as he spins. Hanzo drops to the ground in a crouch in front of him, arrows rattling in his quiver on impact and when he rises he can practically feel McCree drag his eyes up down his body appreciatively.

"Well fancy meetin' you here." McCree drawls.

"Yes, fancy that." Hanzo indulges him a small smile. "There is something interfering with the scanners."

"Yeah," McCree heaves his gaze back to the scanner in his hand. "Comms're fucked too. Reckon we head on back?"

Hanzo purses his lips. "No. Whatever it is cannot be far and cannot be that sophisticated considering the perimeter of the interference. If we follow in the direction of the worse interference, we find it and deal with it ourselves."

"Sounds like a plan." McCree agrees and Hanzo starts walking in the direction his scanner glitches worse, kicking at rubble as he goes.

He steals a glance over his shoulder while he works and double takes when he realises McCree hasn't moved, he's just standing there watching him with his hands on his hips. Hanzo frowns.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

McCree tips his hat back with a flick of his fingertips and stares at Hanzo from under his lashes, gaze raking every inch him. "Don't reckon I could string two sentences together with you looking like that."

"Control yourself." Hanzo mutters with no real heat. "It is just an outfit."

"That ain't an outfit darlin' that's an experience."

"You and your charm." Hanzo says blandly to fight his rising smirk. "Help me find the source of the interference."

"Couldn't find my ass with both hands in my back pockets right about now." But McCree finally starts kicking at the piles of debris too.

Half an hour later they're sweating and covered in ash and grime, no closer to finding the source and they're at the centre of the crater of rubble when the first blaster fires.

*

The ground caves beneath him and he cracks his head on the concrete when he crumples. Jesse groans at the impact, feet sliding uselessly in the rubble, Peacekeeper lost somewhere beyond his reach.

"McCree!"

Hanzo's face blanches and Jesse watches with horror as he stands and dodges another blast, twists back out of the way and then springs forward and throws himself down to the ground, shielding Jesse with his body as much as he can as blaster fire hits the ground around them, scrabbling around until he finds what he's looking for and rises up.

A single sharp shot, a harsh gurgled choke of static, a heavy thud, silence.

Heart hammering in his chest, about to burst right out, Jesse blinks up at the view of Hanzo looming over him; protective, scowling, golden ribbon streaming behind him like a pennant, a smoking Peacekeeper raised and aimed in his hand.

Hanzo scans the perimeter and the fierce look on his face only falls when he glances down at him. He drops the gun and takes Jesse's face in his hands. Jesse blinks blearily, all he can see is Hanzo's face breathtakingly close and the darkening dusk sky above him.

"McCree?" Hanzo taps his cheeks, his thumb accidentally brushing his mouth. "Can you hear me? Are you injured?"

"Yes and no, respectively. Guess we know what was messin' with our tech. God fuckin' _damn_." He lets Hanzo tip his head to either side, checking for concussion. "M'fine, I swear." _But I'm gonna be a whole lot more than just fine if you stay on top of me like that,_ is what he doesn't say. "Be a peach and help me on up."

Hanzo looks like he wants to argue that but to be fair he looks like that a lot of the time. He doesn't though, and helps haul him back to his feet. Jesse tugs his glove off with his teeth and touches tentative fingertips to the back of his head. They come away bloodless and he shoots off a quick _thank you kindly_ to any merciful deity that might be listening.

Hanzo stoops to collect Peacekeeper and presses it back into Jesse's hands and they walk, both weapons drawn, to their would be assailant.

Jesse toes at the broken omnic. It's more than half rust, ocular sockets charred and gaping staring lifelessly up at the sky and he doesn't wanna think of the different outcome, how badly this could've ended for them, the team, the safe zone. He isn't usually this lucky, and from the grim look on Hanzo's ash streaked face, neither is he.

*

Their comms finally working, they both report in and the sun is setting when McCree slings the bright red serape around Hanzo's shoulders on the trudge back to the shuttle. Hanzo glances over with a questioning quirk of his mouth but McCree just shrugs a shoulder with what Hanzo would swear was an almost shy smile.

And if McCree's arm stays around Hanzo's shoulders as they walk, if Hanzo's arm wraps around McCree's waist to keep him close, neither of them mention it.

When the shuttle finally comes into view they reluctantly part and Hanzo hands back the serape, but their hands brush too many times for it to be a coincidence.

Zarya's waiting at the open doors for them with her arms crossed over her chest. She scoffs and rolls her eyes when they finally trot into view but she gives them both comradely slaps on the back when they pass that sends the both of them stumbling into the shuttle.

*

McCree's sauntering his way down the aisle towards him but Hana beats him to it and snags the seat beside Hanzo, sprawling with excited chatter about the mission and how relieved she is that she doesn't have to kick his ass.

McCree drops into the closest free seat and pouts over the headrests at him. Hanzo shrugs but Hana's already got her phone out, scrolling through archery memes she didn't have a chance to send him before the mission and snapping a few selfies of the two of them for her social media accounts.

Hanzo asks her to send him the picture that captures the laugh he's valiantly trying to muffle as he watches Torbjörn sit himself next to McCree as he starts pulling out pictures of his family, the ones McCree has told him he's seen at least five times a week since he first joined Blackwatch twenty years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jesse "can touch a man's nip but cant put his coat around his shoulders without blushing" reyes-amari-mccree


	24. Chapter 24

Lúcio drapes himself on the kitchen table in front of Hanzo while he's eating. "Hey, we're buddies right?"

"No." Hanzo deadpans, fork full of food paused halfway to his mouth.

Lúcio laughs. "Cool great. Well since we're buddies would you be down for switching patrol times with me?"

"I suppose--"

"Awesome! Thanks a lot, man. Meet Jesse over at the trail near terminal one at eleven."

"McCree?"

"I owe you one, Hanzo!" But Lúcio's already on his way out, as quick as he'd arrived. "Seriously!"

"I think you will find that takes your total up to seven now." Hanzo sighs and carries on eating.

*

Patrol over with only minor hitches, McCree sits down with a sigh and stretches his long legs out in front of him. He tips his face up to the sun, closing his eyes as he fans himself off with his hat.

He looks almost golden in the sunlight, glowing and content, sunkissed. A bead of sweat trails down the arch of his throat, beading at his collarbone and trailing further still until it disappears down his half open shirt. Hanzo catches a glimpse of a broad, hairy chest shining with sweat.

He glances away and takes a few needed gulps of water.

"S'real nice up here," McCree pants after downing his own bottle of water. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "This where your brother and Zenyatta come for meditation you say?"

McCree's hair gently curls at the nape of his sweat slick neck. It looks so thick and soft, gleaming warmly in the bright sunlight above them. Hanzo wants to weave his fingers through it and feel it for himself.

"Yes." He forces himself to answer. "I joined them here last week. The sound of the ocean and the call of the gulls," he shakes his head. "You could be any where and any time in the world. It feels like the _edge_ of the world. The sunrise is beautiful, endless."

"Hell, I bet it is." McCree says appreciatively. "Think I could join y'all one mornin'?"

Hanzo raises his eyebrows. "You would mediate with us?"

"Reckon I could always use a little more inner peace." McCree grins and knocks his boot against Hanzo's slim metal foot.

"They would happily welcome you to join."

"Oh well I'm mighty glad _they_ would." McCree nudges his foot again and traps it between his own two, squeezing. "Anyone else?"

"Winston, probably. Athena, and Doctor Ziegler. For the peace back at base."

"Aw, Han-zo." McCree groans, dragging out the word. He lays back in the grass with a sigh, tucking his hands behind his head.

Hanzo smiles and gazes across the water.

It doesn't register at first but then he hears it, a shuffling noise behind him and recognises a continuous familiar shutter sound. He looks over his shoulder. McCree's leaning up on his elbow, phone out and taking pictures of him.

Hanzo raises an unimpressed brow. "Really?"

McCree nods, grinning. _Snap!_ He lowers his phone and pats the space beside him. "C'mere."

Hanzo only hesitates a moment before he does, scooting closer and letting McCree drag him down. He lays beside him with his head cushioned on McCree's broad chest as McCree curls an arm around his waist, palming his hip. Hanzo splays a hand over the steady beat of McCree's heart to feel it for himself and McCree covers Hanzo's hand with his own.

Gulls soar above them, the sea crashes below, and they're the only two people in the world. The heady, rugged scent of him fills Hanzo's nose and the dragons beneath his skin stir, writhing and twining contentedly. His skin itches with it, aches, hand trembling.

It's overwhelming and yet not enough (he wonders if it ever will be when it comes to the cowboy) but there's still a small smile on his face in the picture of the two of them McCree sends to him later when they get back to base.


	25. Chapter 25

**From: McCree** [05:04]  
anyways good mornin sunshine

**To: McCree** [05:05]  
Yes but at what cost?

**From: McCree** [05:07]  
that goddamn fire alarm I swear to god someone (FAREEHA AMARI) was toasting marshmallows in the target range using her jets

**From: McCree** [05:09]  
and she didn't even save me any >:(

**To: McCree** [05:11]  
I would sell Pharah's entire armour on eBay for ten minutes more sleep.

**From: McCree** [05:12]  
I'll help ya bubble wrap it

**From: McCree** [05:13]  
reckon you've had plenty beauty sleep already tho ;)

**To: McCree** [05:15]  
And I reckon I could say the same thing for you.

**From: McCree** [05:16]  
pfhfgggghdh

**From: McCree** [05:16]  
(Flushed Face )(Flushed Face )(Flushed Face )

**To: McCree** [05:24]  
Are you still with us?

**From: McCree** [05:25]  
lord just about

**From: McCree** [05:27]  
oh shit yeah before I forget or fall asleep in my cereal and drown it's torb's 4th youngest daughter's bday this weekend you want me to put your name on the card I got for her??

**To: McCree** [05:28]  
You don't have to do that.

**From: McCree** [05:28]  
aw no it ain't no trouble

**From: McCree** [05:29]  
someone usually bakes a cake and we celebrate together seeing as torb can't get home to sweden to his family

**To: McCree** [05:30]  
Every year? For all of his children?

**From: McCree** [05:30]  
sure do (Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )(Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )

**From: McCree** [05:31]  
and his wife too, real sweet lady

**From: McCree** [05:32]  
always sending over her cakes and bakes for us

**From: McCree** [05:32]  
and it really means the world to torb

**To: McCree** [05:33]  
You may put my name in the card if you let me put your name on the gift I buy for her.

**From: McCree** [05:34]  
oohhh you got her a lil somethin??

**To: McCree** [05:34]  
Not yet, but I have something in mind.

**To: McCree** [05:35]  
We can pick it up on our next supply run.

**From: McCree** [05:35]  
count me in then!!

**From: McCree** [05:36]  
lil helga getting spoiled by her uncle jesse and uncle hanzo bless

**From: McCree** [05:37]  
oh and if torb goes on about allergies don't you believe a word he says he'll be cryin his eyes out lmao

**To: McCree** [05:38]  
Crying I can tolerate so long as there is cake but I draw the line at hugging.

**From: McCree** [05:39]  
can't promise u anything there sweetheart (Eyes )(Eyes )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lemme say it again thank u so much honestly for all the gr8 feedback, yall really are the best ♥
> 
> tumbs: [cyborging](http://cyborging.tumblr.com/)


	26. Chapter 26

It was inevitable, really.

After running team simulations all day they decide on a late night supply run to the all-nighter store, just the two of them again. The parking lot is conveniently full for once (that should have been the first warning) so McCree pulls the truck into the only available space a few streets over in a quiet lane.

It's pitch black save for a few flickering streetlights they pass under on their stroll back, and they're snarking good naturedly and Hanzo is about to throw his own barb back while they're loading the groceries and Torbjörn's daughter's birthday gift into the truck when McCree suddenly crashes bodily into him, throwing them out of the path of rapid open gunfire and Hanzo is so caught off guard it's all he can do to brace for the impact of McCree's lean body pressing him heavily into the dense shadows of the alley before McCree hauls them to relative safety behind the truck.

And then there's a drawl of high noon, and six clear gunshots ringing out in the air (followed by six, no, _eight_ thuds of bodies dropping? how?), so close to Hanzo's ear he still hears a faint buzz in his skull when McCree is holstering Peacekeeper and righting Hanzo on his feet with heavy hands on his shoulders.

" _Fuck_ , goddamn." McCree hisses and palms his right eye with a shaking hand. "Y'all right?"

"Fine." Hanzo says, dazed, confused. How hadn't he noticed the ambush? They had practically been stalked. It burns worse than the hand holding him up. "I am _fine_." He repeats, harsher than he means too.

But McCree just sags in relief and the hand not pressed to his face still frets at Hanzo's shoulders, clutching almost desperately at the material of Hanzo's hoodie, drifts to his neck as if to check his pulse for himself.

"What was that? How long were they following us?"

McCree just keels over then, like someone's cut his strings, hands on his knees, gasping. He shakes his head.

" _Answer me_." Hanzo demands sharply.

"Hey," McCree wheezes, "you ever thought 'bout how an onion can make people cry but there ain't never been a vegetable that can make people laugh?"

"Be serious!" Hanzo fumes, desperate and bordering panicking, picturing Genji finding their sun bloated, bled out bodies. "How did you--"

"It's the same every damn time." McCree says, so suddenly hollow Hanzo resists taking a step back. "I can't miss."

Hanzo is lost for words. He peers around, at the bodies that outnumber the bullets, then back at McCree, broken down and eerily silent, no sign of his warm welcoming presence. He's hesitant to touch him when he's like this (for McCree's sake, not his own) but it has the desired effect because McCree yields under the touch, melts, leans into it heavily like it's the only thing keeping him grounded or from falling to pieces.

"We cannot stay here." Hanzo murmurs lowly, aiming for soothing, apologetic. He rubs his hands along McCree's skin, distantly marvelling in the fact it's the first time he's touched him like this, with purpose, truly comforting. It quietly thrills him, almost leaves him dazed again but he can't afford to indulge in the moment or the feeling, not here, not yet.

McCree nods and straightens up and Hanzo's hands fall off him. McCree looks like he regrets it immediately. His right eye wells with blood and Hanzo reaches up without hesitation to catch the scarlet drop with his thumb, wipes it away (probably not for the best to take his thumb into his mouth and taste that blood for himself, there will be another time)

McCree blinks, wide-eyed. That seems to do it.

They pile into the truck and Hanzo wordlessly takes the proffered keys McCree holds up in the space between them. Another first, Hanzo being trusted to get them home safely. He wonders if McCree knows what that means to him, the small and yet huge gesture of trust.

McCree silently stares out the passenger side window on the tense drive home but they both steal glances at each other and they both know it because they catch each other too many times to deny it for anything other than what it is. There's no need for subtlety and they're both too suddenly exhausted from the burst of adrenaline that neither of them tear their gaze away or feel embarrassed. They just look at each other, confirming that yes, I'm still here. We're still here. We're safe, together.

They pull in to the hangar and Hanzo quietly comms Athena and tells her what happened. Winston promises that Genji and Zarya will leave through Satya's teleporter as soon as they can to clear the scene. He knows it was reckless to leave them like that, but McCree was his priority, he needed to get away.

McCree lifts a few bags but they fall through numb fingers. McCree grimaces, grits his teeth but Hanzo's at his side immediately. There aren't that many bags anyway so Hanzo scoops them all up before McCree can wear himself out or beat himself up about whatever's happening to him right now. He follows Hanzo wordlessly to the empty kitchen, hangdog loyal, and Hanzo doubts everyone's asleep but maybe they're just keeping their distance. He's grateful. They stay within each other's line of sight, probably closer than necessary while Hanzo quickly puts the remaining groceries away and then there's nothing left but the two of them.

There's so much more they need to say and also nothing else at all. Hanzo could stretch up onto his tiptoes and kiss him. He wants to. It's the sort of life affirming thing that's appropriate for the situation, is it not?

But McCree decides for them. He looks exhausted, wrung out, but he reaches his hands out, palms flat, beckoning with a tired smile and they come together slowly. Hanzo skims his palms over McCree's to fist them in the hem of his plaid shirt and he uses that grip to tug him unresistingly closer. McCree holds him to his chest like he's something dear, something worth protecting and then there's a hand on his jaw, tilting, and a bearded mouth pressing a scruffy kiss to Hanzo's forehead.

It's so unexpectedly gentle after the violence and the breakdown it almost brings tears to his eyes and he's caught off guard ( _again_ , twice in one day, who is he?) but for this? Hanzo doesn't care. He aches for it.

It's a night of many firsts but neither of them push or pull for anything more and alone back in his room Hanzo would swear he could still feel the ghost touches of McCree's hands and lips on his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woulda felt kinda cheap if they’d hooked up here, jesse ain’t in the right mind for some good dicking (yet)
> 
> one of the perks of writing this n updating it regularly is that the New Chapter Anxiety™ is making my ass go to bed at a consistent reasonable hour lmao


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> picks up right where we left off

**To: McCree** [03:14]  
Are you sure you are okay?

**From: McCree** [03:15]  
don't you worry about me darlin

**To: McCree** [03:15]  
I will worry.

**To: McCree** [03:16]  
Are you okay???

**From: McCree** [03:17]  
it's the same every time and every time I've been okay

**From: McCree** [03:18]  
I'm still here ain't I??

**From: McCree** [03:18]  
I'll be okay

**From: McCree** [03:19]  
are YOU okay??

**To: McCree** [03:19]  
I have already told you I am fine.

**From: McCree** [03:20]  
hanzo sweetheart you have no idea how badly the thought of you being hurt tore me up back there

**From: McCree** [03:21]  
I could hardly breathe, hardly think

**From: McCree** [03:24]  
fuck I'm sorry

**To: McCree** [03:25]  
You are apologising for saving my life?

**From: McCree** [03:25]  
FUCK NO!!!!!!!!!!!

**From: McCree** [03:26]  
god no

**From: McCree** [03:26]  
never

**To: McCree** [03:27]  
It seems I have made a severe underestimation of you.

**To: McCree** [03:28]  
Forgive me.

**From: McCree** [03:30]  
you wouldn't be the first and you surely won't be the last

**From: McCree** [03:32]  
I let em assume what they like, does me no harm

**From: McCree** [03:33]  
I'll happily play along even, get into the role cause it all lines up my way in the end, always does

**From: McCree** [03:34]  
cause they don't see me coming

**From: McCree** [03:34]  
don't see the truth til it's too late

**To: McCree** [03:35]  
You are an incredible tactician.

**From: McCree** [03:36]  
you'll make me swoon clear off my feet sweetheart

**To: McCree** [03:37]  
It is the truth.

**From: McCree** [03:38]  
think I want that in writing ;)

**To: McCree** [03:38]  
Hush.

**From: McCree** [03:40]  
will this Incredible Tactician™ be seeing you in the training room tomorrow evening??

**To: McCree** [03:42]  
So long as the Incredible Tactician gets his rest.

**From: McCree** [03:43]  
hah I'm already in bed

**From: McCree** [03:43]  
I would say big cold lonely bed but u know these bunks are small as hell

**From: McCree** [03:45]  
and I waaaas about to settle down but someone's been hittin up my phone (Eyes )(Eyes )

**To: McCree** [03:45]  
Hush.

**To: McCree** [03:46]  
Goodnight Jesse.

**From: McCree** [03:47]  
g'night hanzo (Blue Heart )(Dragon )


	28. Chapter 28

"--running facial recognition from security camera footage in the surrounding areas." Athena is saying when Hanzo finally arrives at the briefing room, late thanks to a restless night's sleep. Everyone perks up, greeting him as he takes his seat beside Genji with a grunt of acknowledgement and Winston picks up where Athena left off.

"The footage was limited but we know they weren't professional, not Talon or Vishkar at least." Opposite him, Satya presses her mouth into a tight line. She briefly meets his eye, tense and unhappy, perhaps relieved too? He wonders how she would have reacted if it _was_ Vishkar. "Probably just some low time gang less than impressed with the sudden Overwatch presence who finally decided to do something about it."

"Bloody hell. Didn't they pick the best bloke to try it on." Lena says, covering her right eye and finger gunning the digital clock on the wall. **12:00**. Hanzo's stomach twists and he clenches his fist in his lap. The dragons don't appreciate the coincidence.

"Speaking of which, no one was injured but Jesse's down in medbay getting checked over which is the only reason why he isn't here so no one worry."

Hanzo feels about ten different pairs of eyes on him, all except Genji. He raises his chin. They don't know the exact details but they know McCree, the Overwatch veterans at least, so they must have a good idea what happened. They definitely have no idea about the kitchen, about McCree holding him in his arms, about the kiss.

The secrecy of it thrills him, not that they're particularly keeping it a secret. More the fact that it's actually happened, something purely between the two of them, something so tentatively new and precious to the both of them. And even more so the thought that they won't have to keep it between them in the future, the thought of McCree pressing a kiss to his cheek as he passes over the salt at the dinner table, holding hands on the walk from the truck to the store, sharing a room, a future so inexplicably together no one could mistake it for anything other than what it was.

"--safety of course is the priority, even if we shouldn't have to wear armour or carry weapons during down time but the constant threat is unfortunately something that comes with the job, something we all understand."

There's a general murmur of agreement.

"I think that just about wraps things up really. Hanzo? Anything you want to add?"

"Yes." He turns to Torbjörn, grave. "We bought your daughter a gift but it was broken in the struggle. I am sorry, it won't be with her in time for her birthday."

Torbjörn blinks and his voice is high and wavering when he asks tearfully. " _You bought my little Helga a birthday gift_?" 

*

"So?" Satya asks him later that day when they're alone. "How are you?"

"Fine." Mostly the truth.

"And McCree?"

"Resting."

"Good." Satya says distractedly, nodding. "Good."

They're silent for a long while. Gulls caw overhead, one landing on the railings near them. Hanzo expects Satya to shoo it away but she's gnawing her lip with an expression Hanzo has never seen on her face before.

"Satya?"

She jumps at the sudden noise. "Yes?"

"What is wrong?"

Satya blinks. "Nothing. Nothing is wrong. Everything is fine and nothing is wrong."

Hanzo grimaces. "Was it the mention of Vishkar?"

Satya scoffs but there's a pained look on her face she fails to hide, but after the strict life (or lack of one) she's had with Vishkar, she shouldn't have to hide it, never again and especially not with him. "No, they have no power over me. Not anymore. But if it _had_ been Vishkar I can promise you if anything had happened to you or the cowboy they would be nothing but ash and rubble by now, with nothing but their meticulous dental records to identify them with."

Hanzo can't help but feel touched. "You are still troubled."

Satya wheezes and Hanzo doesn't believe her for a second. "I'm perfectly fine, please get off my metaphorical dick. Let's talk about your problems."

"What, for a change?" Hanzo asks wryly.

"It's fine. I'm fine. I have it firmly under control."

Hanzo stares at her.

"Extremely firmly under control. Shall we discuss the colour of the gunslinger's hair in the sunlight again?"

"It is not a discussion if it is one sided." Hanzo sighs. "And stop changing the subject."

"Hanzo," Satya says, serious now. "I'm fine, I promise. When I want to talk about it, I will. Until then, let me repress in peace."

Hanzo raises an unopened bottle of vodka. "Peace and alcohol?"

"As if anything else." Satya smiles and pinches his cheek. "And decent enough company, of course."

"Of course." Hanzo drawls.

They pass the bottle between them in companionable silence.

"About last night," Satya starts hesitantly, choosing her words carefully. "McCree carries a six shooter. I saw the bodies, _all_ of them," she levels him an inscrutable look. "Headshots, _impossible_ shots from his position, and yet...."

"And yet." Hanzo mutters in agreement. He saw it for himself and he's still having trouble believing what he saw.

"Your brother kept suspiciously quiet during the cleanup. The quietest I've ever known him to be. They were in Blackwatch together, your brother and your McCree, so something he's saw and dealt with before, no?"

"I don't know." A pause. "Probably." A realisation. "Yes."

Satya hums contemplatively. "No wonder he was recruited so young."

"It isn't just that." Hanzo defends, shaking his head. "His mind is as quick as his draw, so tactical and ruthlessly efficient. You have seen for yourself his simulation results, he out scores himself each time. His reflexes are unparalleled to say the very least but nothing is done for the sake of it, he sees the value and worth in everything, in everyone and it is in every decision he makes. I have never met anyone like him. Jesse is.....he is something else."

Satya is unusually quiet beside him again and when he glances over she rolls her eyes to the sky in horror and sighs. "Oh my gods."

"What?"

She shakes her head helplessly. "I can't believe you."

" _What?_ " He repeats, agitated, but he knows, of course he does.

Satya passes over the vodka sympathetically.

"And here I thought you just had an itch that needed to be scratched." She says wryly.

"Fuck off." Hanzo says mildly, downing the rest of the bottle just to spite her.


	29. Chapter 29

**To: McCree** [19:32]  
I do not know how you do it.

**To: McCree** [19:33]  
Your patience must be infinite.

**From: McCree** [19:35]  
lmao you'd think

**From: McCree** [19:36]  
nah it's real easy so long as you can keep your cool

**To: McCree** [19:36]  
Failed step one.

**From: McCree** [19:37]  
(Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**From: McCree** [19:38]  
you gotta be the person people wanna believe you are

**From: McCree** [19:40]  
and not to toot my own tooter but I was so good at it I was always the lead in every deadlock and blackwatch christmas production lmfao

**From: McCree** [19:42]  
god this one time in blackwatch I managed to, while undercover mind, wrangle a job at this honest to god ranch out in arizona for the summer

**From: McCree** [19:43]  
oh my lord gabe had my absolute ass when I told him I wanted time off to actually go work there but I promised the old lady so what did he expect?!

**To: McCree** [19:43]  
Gabriel Reyes?

**From: McCree** [19:44]  
the one and only

**To: McCree** [19:45]  
He was dear to you.

**From: McCree** [19:46]  
as dear as can be for the man that gave you your second and final chance

**From: McCree** [19:48]  
hell he was like a father to me

**From: McCree** [19:49]  
taught me so much, ain't a day goes by I don't think about him

**From: McCree** [19:52]  
I miss him like hell

**To: McCree** [19:54]  
I too miss my father.

**To: McCree** [19:57]  
Though I know he would despair at what we have become, both myself and my brother.

**To: McCree** [19:59]  
But he was a good man. He loved us both above all else.

**To: McCree** [20:01]  
Well, almost all else.

**To: McCree** [20:02]  
His name was Sojiro.

**To: McCree** [20:02]  
He would have hated you.

**From: McCree** [20:03]  
welp

**To: McCree** [20:04]  
On principle, nothing personal.

**From: McCree** [20:05]  
if he'd've despaired at the person you are today then that's fine by me tbh

**From: McCree** [20:06]  
I think you're a delight. the goddamn best person i ever did meet

**To: McCree** [20:08]  
Flattery will get you everywhere.

**From: McCree** [20:09]  
even when it's the truth?? ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when ya friend hits ya with this and u know it's finally time for The Talk™
> 
>    
> 


	30. Chapter 30

**From: Genji** [22:49]  
R u on the roof again

**To: Genji** [22:51]  
Maybe.

**From: Genji** [22:51]  
Turn around lmao

**To: Genji** [22:52]  
???

**From: Genji** [22:53]  
Just joking haha be right up

  


*

"Yo," Genji knees him before he sits, folding his legs under him. "What's wrong, fucker?"

"Nothing is wrong." Hanzo says honestly, and he means it. What he feels for Jesse is not wrong and neither is _how_ Jesse makes him feel. Selfish, perhaps, something he doesn't deserve, but not wrong.

"You're up on the roof brooding under moonlight." Genji deadpans.

"And? That is an average Thursday night for me."

Genji snorts, a sudden burst of static. He reaches up and unclasps his face plate, it eases off with a hiss. He places it in the small space between them and tips his head back to the dense starry sky above them, dragging a deep breath of bitter night air into his lungs.

"I like the burn of it." Genji says softly. "It is a small welcome reminder I am still alive. It reminds me of Nepal, of winters and springs in Hanamura."

Hanzo smiles. "And you always preferred warm weather."

"Sun's out guns out." Genji laughs, but sobers just as quick, biting his lip. "Do you ever miss it?"

Hanzo grimaces. "No. But I used to think I missed the routine, the surety of it all. I think I always ignored the fact I had no choice."

Genji shakes his head. "You didn't ignore it, Hanzo, it was all you knew, all you were _allowed_ to know. It wasn't a life, it was a lie."

"There were good times though, weren't there?" He asks before he can help himself.

"Oh yes." Genji says. "Like that time we had to decapitate those guys, good times."

He knows it's just a joke but Hanzo flinches in the brittle, gaping silence that follows. Genji must see the look on his face because he scoots closer, loops his arm through Hanzo's and rests his head on his shoulder. "There _were_ good times, of course there were, Hanzo. Times that weren't influenced by the clan, times that were completely ours." Genji heaves a sad sigh. "Which just makes it hurt even worse."

Hanzo's about to open his mouth but Genji squeezes his arm tight and headbutts him. "If you apologise I'm kicking you off the roof, I swear."

Hanzo closes his mouth.

It reminds him viscerally of all the times Genji would seek him out through the halls of Hanamura Castle and be the one seeking forgiveness, usually for all the duties shirked again, the duties Hanzo had no choice but to shoulder. He doesn't know how he burdened it, but he did, because Genji needed him to. Every time Genji would hold onto his arm, drunk or sober, every time he would beg his forgiveness like a balm only Hanzo could offer him and Hanzo would believe him every time and he would forgive him. He could never extinguish the tiny spark of hope in his heart when Genji promised he would be there from then on, _I promise, brother, I swear it. In the end we are all that we have and I will be there for you, for the clan and for the family. I promise._

Lies every time and lies Hanzo forgave every time, until he couldn't, until he was _told_ he couldn't.

"It's alright now though," Genji says with so much casual surety it hurts, the crushing relief even now. "That's what matters."

"It is because of you that it is alright now."

"I didn't kidnap you and force you to join Overwatch with me." Genji says wryly. "That was your choice."

Hanzo hums, but it's true, isn't it? They have this because of the two of them.

"Thank you." Hanzo murmurs.

"Shut up," Genji says fondly, half hugging him half shoving him as he gets back up to his feet and snaps his faceplate back into place. He stretches his arms high above his head. "Well then, have fun brooding and don't stay up here too long cause it's cold as fuck. You'll get sick."

Hanzo rolls his eyes. "Yes thank you, mother."

*

"I am not sick." Hanzo insists weakly as he's wracked with another coughing fit that leaves him swaying where he sits. Genji pushes him back down by the shoulder to lay flat when he's done.

"I am not sick, he says sickly, while sick." Genji chirps with all the annoyance of a younger brother. "Will you chill out? You can afford to spend a few days in medbay. Unless you _want_ to infect your teammates?"

"I have....." he thinks of smoky, rumbling truck rides and the hot heat of the wind, a low laughing baritone voice that's not his own but one he still feels in his own chest, a deadeye for deals and bargains, someone who insists on carrying more bags than his share, someone who takes the time to help mothers and old ladies. A bearded mouth against his forehead, a strong, steady heartbeat beneath his cheek. "...duties."

Genji tuts. "Don't worry about patrol, we'll split it between us. They're your friends, Hanzo, they want to help you. Don't pull that face you know it's true. They don't want to send you out on patrol while you're sick."

"I am not sick and I am not talking about patrol."

His brother turns his head slowly to face him and Hanzo wilts under the blank stare of Genji's helmet because he knows Genji is working it out and he's right if the hand Genji slowly raises to cover the bottom half of his faceplate, where his mouth would be, is anything to go by.

"Oh my god." He says quietly.

Hanzo holds up a warning hand. "Genji--"

" _The supply runs_." Genji gasps loudly, like it's the most obvious thing in the world and slaps a palm to his forehead. "The supply runs with _Jesse_." Why does he sound so gleeful?

"Would you please fu--"

"Oh my _god_ , Hanzo. You have a cr--"

Hanzo launches the pillow behind his head at him with all his might, which isn't very mighty. Genji catches it easily and barely rocks back in his chair. "I'm sick, remember? I'm delirious." He coughs weakly, fake to his own ears. "What day is it? Where am I?"

"Oh Hanzo." Is all Genji sighs holding the pillow to his chest, still too gleeful, but mercifully he leaves it at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so out of it rn i just called hanzo handrew for the past 10 mins rip


	31. Chapter 31

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:33]  
Fareeha

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:33]  
Do u know

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:41]  
......

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:42]  
Maybe I do

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:42]  
Maybe I don't

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:43]  
Do YOU know??

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:45]  
I know a lot of things

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:46]  
(Eyes )(Eyes )(Eyes )

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:46]  
(Eyes )(Eyes )(Eyes )

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:49]  
Fine I'm calling it

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:50]  
Two months

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:52]  
Nooooo way

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:52]  
Absolutely no way

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:54]  
Fareeha you don't know how stubborn my brother can be

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:55]  
U underestimate his power lmao

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:56]  
Okay buuuut have you MET jesse????

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:56]  
Damn ur right

**From: ONE (1) dragon** [19:57]  
Still. Two months. I'm calling it.

**To: ONE (1) dragon** [19:58]  
??? You can call the bank and get my money ready right now??? Two weeks. AT THE MOST

  


*

"Goddamn, Fareeha." Jesse mutters, pacing. "I got a right mind to storm right over there and tell him exactly how it is. Pour my goddamn heart out like a bottle of bourbon and set him straight."

Fareeha snorts and ruffles Jesse's hair when he passes by. " _Straight_."

"Button it, you menace." Jesse growls, jabbing a finger in her direction and ducking out of her reach. He looks a bit hysterical. "Don't kick a dog when it's down, now ain't the time."

"He's in medbay, right? Angela told you he's quarantined until his fever breaks so......maybe the time might be in two weeks?"

Jesse sighs and puts his hands on his hips. "Yeah, might be best to wait on it lil while. Lord if he don't burn me up though." He gnaws on his lip, then frowns. "Wait, _two weeks_? Why's that now?"

"No reason." Fareeha says mildly, sliding out her phone.

  


**To: ONE (1) dragon** [11:22]  
Pay up boyyyyyy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hear me out okay but jesse is fareeha’s big brother figure n she sorta grew up with him right?? genji was in blackwatch at the same time so.........big brother genji anyone??
> 
> and i haven't gushed in a while but yall are the best, for real <3


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))

Hanzo _does_ miss their supply run the next day.

Jesse and himself are both unofficially officially the supply runners now and he doesn't know when it happened but it's the way it is, and he likes it. The watchpoint can be suffocating at times, with the strange land and the strangers (he's working on it though) and his own suffocating thoughts in himself. It's a much needed breath of fresh air and change of scenery, away from any expectations or pressure and it's safe. It's safe and he can't think of any other way to describe it. He feels safe with Jesse behind the wheel of his beat up old truck, feels safe navigating the stores where the checkout people know them both by name they're there that frequently, feels safe with Jesse and that rumbling drawl, his broad, comforting presence and his easy smiles, how he lights up when Hanzo huffs at his jokes, how he fits into his personal space with ease, like he was always meant to be there. Jesse makes him feel safe.

Hanzo feels like he belongs. That should feel more troubling than it is.

*

**From: McCree** [19:48]  
how're ya feeling today?? you still down in medbay??

**To: McCree** [19:53]  
Better, thank you. The fever broke earlier than expected thanks to Zenyatta and Doctor Ziegler, I am back in my quarters.

**From: McCree** [19:55]  
sorry I didn't get the chance to stop by I've been busier than a moth in a mitten

**From: McCree** [19:57]  
took hana for her training sessions and then had patrol right after

**From: McCree** [19:58]  
reckoned you woulda been asleep by then

**To: McCree** [20:00]  
You did not have to visit me.

**From: McCree** [20:01]  
aw I know that but I wanted to

**To: McCree** [20:04]  
Training with Hana and patrol. Both my duties. How many times have I told you I did not want to be an inconvenience?

**From: McCree** [20:05]  
at least one more time darlin (Blue Heart )(Blue Heart )(Blue Heart )

**From: McCree** [20:06]  
hana came with me to the store actually

**From: McCree** [20:06]  
she beat your bag carrying record lmao

**To: McCree** [20:07]  
Did she now?

**From: McCree** [20:07]  
one handed, might I add

**From: McCree** [20:09]  
hey are you up for company right now?? I gotcha a lil something, mind if I swing by??

**To: McCree** [20:11]  
I am always up for your company.

**From: McCree** [20:12]  
aw shucks, be right with ya!! (Runner )(Dash Symbol ≊ Dashing)

*

McCree already knows the access code to his room, just hasn't been so bold as to use it yet and if he realises it's his birthday he doesn't mention it. He's balancing a tray in one hand and holds a paper bag to his chest with the other and McCree kicks his boots off and leaves them by the door when it slides shut behind him, a small courtesy Hanzo is grateful for.

He can't describe the feeling that fills him just seeing McCree standing there after barely a week apart. The feeling must be mutual if the relief on McCree's face is anything to go by. He leans back against the door with a sigh. "Well ain't you just a sight for sore eyes." McCree smiles, even though Hanzo knows he probably looks like death. But McCree's smile is nothing but genuine and he crosses the room in barely three long strides and sits himself on Hanzo's unmade bed with another sigh, dropping his hat on top of the rumpled sheets. It's so surreal Hanzo would swear it's some sort of fever dream if it wasn't for the steaming bowl of spiced soup on the tray bringing tears to his eyes. He can feel his sinuses clearing just from breathing in the small curling plume of steam. There's a tiny jug of cream at the side in case it's too hot for his liking. Again, Jesse McCree and his thoughtfulness.

"That there's my abuela's recipe," McCree says, fond and wistful as he sets the tray in Hanzo's lap. "Haven't cooked it up for a good long while but there ain't a thing in the world it can't cure." He scratches his bearded jaw in thought, pulling a face. "Well, 'cept maybe leaving home at fourteen to join a gang but you know what I mean."

"It smells wonderful." Hanzo says honestly, and that he can even smell again is nothing short of a miracle.

McCree beams, and even brighter still at Hanzo's appreciative hum after his first spoonful. "She'd be real glad to hear it."

He's halfway through the bowl when he catches McCree staring at him. Hanzo nudges him with his knee. "Yes?"

McCree blinks, grins sheepishly and rubs at the back of his neck. "Sorry, just never saw you with your hair down like that before is all. Suits you real good."

Wryly. "Perhaps I will wear it down more often then."

McCree clutches at his chest and falls sideways, laying down over Hanzo's legs with a squeeze of his calf. "I'm already a goner."

Hanzo snorts and sips his soup quietly while McCree sits back up and reaches for the paper bag, rifles through it.

"Oh here, got you your usual. I put away most the stuff in the kitchen but I know you like these in your room. Hana picked you out some things too, mostly junk cause she knows about that sweet tooth of yours. And I asked Genji if there was anything I should get you and he gave me a list. Some stuff you had as kids?" McCree laughs suddenly. "I didn't know half the things on that list but the little old lady who runs that fancy Japanese store was escorting me round helping me find the stuff like the most perfect hostess, the dear." He puts the paper bag on the bunkside table. "Anyway, I hope they're even just a mite helpful."

Words fail Hanzo. "You did all that for me."

"Surely did."

"I cannot believe you. You truly--" Is the most he can say before he doubles over coughing. He wonders if McCree will stay if he hacks up a lung?

McCree hastily removes the tray from his lap and puts it on the floor beside his bunk. "Hey, hey, you're alright. I got you," McCree soothes, rubs Hanzo's back through it, firm and grounding. Hanzo needs it. He feels drained, physically and emotionally.

"Thank god that fever of yours broke, couldn't bear the thought of you suffering." McCree murmurs and cards his fingers through the sweaty hair plastered to Hanzo's forehead, combs it back and gently lays his cool metal palm on Hanzo's throbbing, burning forehead.

Hanzo's eyes drift closed under the touch, whole body leaning instinctively closer just as McCree yanks his hand away like he's been burnt.

"Shit, sorry. God, I don't wanna presume and you're sick, I--," he swallows hard and clenches his fist in his lap, averting his eyes to the ceiling. "Sorry."

"You do not have to apologise, not for this." Hanzo distantly hears himself say, reaching for McCree's hand and covering it with his own. "Never for this."

McCree heaves in a shaky breath. "You got me torn up so bad, sweetheart." McCree says softly. He turns his hand palm up and their fingers tangle, a perfect fit. "You're makin' me crazy."

Another cough rattles in Hanzo's chest. He can barely keep his eyes open. "We cannot do this." He rasps quietly and McCree looks momentarily heartbroken. Hanzo shakes his pounding head and fists a hand in McCree's shirt, imploring. "Not now, not while I am sick. Overwatch cannot afford two of its members incapacitated."

McCree looks pained. "You don't have a clue how badly I wanna kiss you right now."

"Believe me, I do."

"Got the prettiest damn mouth I ever did see." McCree murmurs, cupping Hanzo's cheek like he can't help himself. "Bet it's the sweetest too."

Hanzo shudders, blood boiling. "I am contagious. Leave before you do something you regret."

"I have a high immune system?" McCree tries weakly and Hanzo squeezes his eyes shut as McCree inches closer and sucks a bruising kiss to the side of his throat, groaning open-mouthed against Hanzo's skin like it's the best damn thing to ever happen to him and scrapes light teeth over the tattoo on his shoulder. Hanzo feels lightheaded, but not just because of the man as good as in his lap. He weaves a hand in McCree's hair, grips at the nape of his neck and his voice shakes when he manages to say the hardest thing he's ever had to say. " _Jesse_. Get out."

"I'm gettin', I'm gettin'." McCree grumbles, pressing his luck by pressing a kiss to Hanzo's forehead. He picks up his hat and moves the tray of food closer to Hanzo's bunk. "Gimme a holler if you need anything, Hanzo. I'm a text away, sweetheart, I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god
> 
> jesse was only apologising because he's a gentleman and doesn't wanna presume anything ya know they haven't talked about it so they obvs don't know the boundaries but it's all mutual and all good!!!!!


	33. Chapter 33

**From: Genji** [10:19]  
Okay but

**From: Genji** [10:20]  
Is this ur first crush?

**To: Genji** [10:28]  
I will block you again I swear I will.

**From: Genji** [10:30]  
Aww :3c

**To: Genji** [10:31]  
Genji I am this close.

  


"I really do think it's sweet you've got a crush though." Genji says as his door suddenly slides open. "And don't think I didn't notice the _coincidence_ of your access code."

Hanzo stares at him flatly and locks his phone.

"Would you stop calling it a crush?" He grumbles. _It's so much more than that, doesn't come close to what he feels for Jesse_. "And get out of my room."

"Make me." Genji sneers, draping himself on Hanzo's bed, right over his legs.

Hanzo tuts and pulls his knees to his chest. "What do you want? I was just starting to feel better."

"Details, obviously. But not the scarring kind."

"No."

"How long?"

"No."

"Does Jesse know?"

"Genji."

"Trick question, of course he does. _And_ its reciprocal because the way he's been acting lately? It all adds up."

 _The way he's been acting lately_ , Hanzo tries not to preen, covers it up by coughing into his fist. Of course Genji would notice the difference, the signs, now that he's looking for it and knows _what_ to look for. He's known Jesse for years, he knows him.

Genji points at the empty bowl on the tray near his bunk. "He made you his grandmother's soup. He spent all day on it."

"That.....is not a question."

"Kissed him yet?"

He's not expecting it and Hanzo's silence is apparently all the answer Genji needs.

Genji whistles, shakes his head. "Oh my god."

"You are the one who asked."

"I know, I played myself."

Hanzo pulls a face, considering. "But technically no, I do not think you could count what we have done as kissing."

"Oh god wait, I changed my mind, I don't want to know."

"Good, you can leave now."

Genji puts on the worst exaggeration of McCree's drawl Hanzo's ever heard. "Hey now y'all, what happened to that good old fashioned southern hospitality?" He sniggers and easily ducks out of the way when Hanzo halfheartedly grabs for his neck. He pads around the room, poking at Storm Bow and the fletching of the arrows in his quiver hanging by the door.

"For real though, I have something you would be interested in." He says over his shoulder. " _Very_ interested."

Hanzo pauses, decides to throttle him another day and raises an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

Genji turns around and leans forward. "Every single embarrassing story I know. Think about it, I've known him for years. He's told me _everything_. I'm the mother load, Hanzo. That knowledge, that power? It could be all yours."

He eyes him sceptically. "And what do you want in return?"

"Nothing much." Genji shrugs. "Just name your firstborn after me."

Hanzo throws the covers aside, feet hitting the ground in the same swift movement and he's never seen Genji move so quick before. Well, maybe _once_ before. " _Out of my room_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hanzo hurdled outta that bed like he was in the olympics
> 
> this just in: local fic writer extremely grateful for all the feedback on the last chapter that anxiously kept her up til 3am listening to paramore and playing pokemon go, not even outside just in her flippin room like a loser. more gushing over the best readers ever at six (yall ease my poor heart you really do)


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've one upped myself i'm so out of it rn i've called hanzo hannibal at least three times if i look @ this chapter any longer i will Die

**From: McCree** [19:40]  
well seein as you're right as rain again how'd you fancy a change of scenery this evenin?? ;)

**To: McCree** [19:44]  
That would depend on what you had in mind.

**To: McCree** [19:45]  
But if it is an evening in your company you already know the answer.

**From: McCree** [19:46]  
you trust me don't you??

**To: McCree** [19:47]  
You know that I do.

**From: McCree** [19:49]  
then lemme take you out darlin, leave it to me. I wanna surprise ya (Blue Heart )(Blue Heart )

  


*

Jesse sucks in a quick breath when he sees Hanzo and what he's wearing. Black fitted jeans that stop just above his prosthetic ankles, a jacket tied around his waist, and a white tank top with Japanese lettering he has no hope of understanding that's showing more skin than it's covering. Jesse could probably count his ribs. He wants to, actually. With his mouth.

But it's the loose gleaming hair that falls to his shoulders looking like spun silk under the bright lights of the hangar bay that's really getting him, and Jesse wants nothing more than to bury his hands into it, his face, breathe him in. He does neither and dazedly jumps from the hood of the truck, stumbling. Hanzo's smirking at him like he knows exactly what he's thinking.

Lord, he was such a goner.

*

McCree pulls up at a restaurant in the middle of town, but it's the bar they're here for he tells him, not the food. McCree holds the door open for him and after an exchange with the host they're ushered with a wide smile to the long stretch of bar on the other side of the restaurant opposite the tables.

Hanzo peers around. The bar itself is a dark wood contrasted by the brickwork arches behind it with bottles of all styles, shape and colour shelved between them. Waves of fairy lights are strung up in the beams of the high slanted ceiling above them and wall to floor windows overlook quaint, sleepy streets. It's nice, an undeniably warm atmosphere and both modernly and classically Spanish in decor, but nothing too fancy. Still casually cosy enough for some intimacy, exactly what they want.

They settle in on their stools and the bartender appears.

"Bourbon, thank you kindly." McCree raises his eyebrows questioningly at Hanzo.

"You may order for me." Hanzo murmurs, curling his foot around McCree's calf.

McCree smirks. "Make it two and keep 'em coming."

*

Hanzo tucks his hair behind his ear and watches McCree watch the movement. "Do you come here often?"

"That's my line." McCree grins, knocks back his drink with practised ease. "Came here a few times with the team back before you got to the watchpoint. Haven't been here since but the food here ain't half bad, we'll have to try it ourselves next time."

Hanzo hums, eyes glinting as he sips his own bourbon. "That will depend how _this_ time goes."

"Oh will it now?" Sultry, dripping charm. "You know I love a challenge. Guess I'll just have to make this a night to remember."

"I doubt it will be a challenge." Hanzo says softly. They just look at each other then, sitting close and sharing space and Hanzo would be content to stay here with him forever, he thinks. McCree looks positively giddy, like he can't quite believe what's happening. Hanzo can very much relate.

McCree shakes himself out of it enough to start telling him a tale from back in his Blackwatch days (and Hanzo appreciates the irony of it being a story Genji would be mortified for him to know) gesturing with easy sweeps of his hands, nostalgic grin wide enough to split his face. He's so _handsome_ , so considerate and charming it hurts but in the best possible way. Jesse himself talks of swooning but Hanzo's at serious risk of literally toppling off his stool just watching him and how dignified would that be? He doesn't even care. Jesse pops open a few more buttons at his throat as he talks, tugs his shirt collar open and Hanzo wants to press his mouth to every inch of skin he sees, wants to peel the layers off Jesse's body and reveal the pieces of the puzzle he's missing and finally have the full picture of what is beneath. His hands shake at the thought of it. He folds them in his lap to fight the temptation.

"And then I was like, _I would absolutely invest in a dinosaur zoo. It'd pay for itself_. I even asked Angela if that staff of hers could bring 'em back just using their bones from museums or somethin'."

"Jesse.....Jurassic Park."

"Exactly! Fareeha and Genji sang that goddamn theme tune every time I walked in the room and I requested an immediate relocation to watchpoint Antarctica. Which was denied."

Hanzo snorts, endeared. It's so ridiculous but so perfectly him.

McCree shakes his head with a wry grin and gestures at the passing bar staff. "Same again if you please."

"Barman's on his cigarette break, sorry." Their new server says with an apologetic smile, wiping down the bar. "What'll it be?"

"Ain't a problem. Think we'll take two beers this time please."

The bartender turns away and Hanzo raises his eyebrows. "You don't want to smoke too?"

McCree grins and rolls up his plaid sleeve. Three nicotine patches are in the crook of his elbow.

"I don't wanna miss a single second of this, Hanzo."

Their empty whiskey tumblers are removed and two beer bottles are put between them and they both reach at the same without looking and their fingers brush. Neither of them move away. Hanzo turns his hands up, fingers momentarily tangling but McCree trails his fingers along Hanzo's palm, rubbing at the callouses he feels. He thumbs at the jackrabbiting pulse in Hanzo's wrist with a little knowing smile.

They aren't drunk, barely even tipsy, just pleasantly buzzed. If anything they were more drunk on each other's closeness and shared space. That and the freedom they have, the privacy and anonymity they have if only for a few hours. A night off, together. A date. So different to early morning coffee in the kitchen or a supply run, but just as treasured. Just time to spend with each other. It's still not that they're hiding it, just sharing it with each other before they share it with other people.

Hanzo takes a much needed drink of his beer because the heat of the bar and the heat in his gut is nothing compared to the heat in McCree's gaze. He absently thumbs at the label on his beer bottle, hooded eyes on Hanzo.

Hanzo tilts his head, raises his chin. "Do you see something you like, cowboy?"

"Think you know I do." McCree takes a slow swig of his beer, mouth lingering on the rim. He's staring at the bruise on Hanzo's throat now, the one he sucked there himself. That's when Hanzo notices an elderly Spanish man with a dozen roses for sale making his way along the bar. McCree turns around to see for himself what Hanzo's watching and he perks up immediately at his approach but Hanzo beats him to it.

He slides out the first note he finds and holds it up between two fingers and the flower seller smiles gratefully when Hanzo let's him keep the change (definitely too much for a single flower) and plucks the lushest rose from the bouquet for him. Hanzo holds it to his nose, breathing in the rich scent before offering it to a wide-eyed McCree.

McCree hides his flushed grin behind his palm, looking away. "Real smooth, Shimada."

Hanzo smiles. He reaches for McCree's hat, plucking it off his head and onto his own and he snaps the stem of the flower shorter and they're close enough that Hanzo doesn't have to reach far to tuck the rich red rose behind McCree's ear. He lets his hand linger, thumb brushing McCree's flushed cheek and he can't help himself leaning forward to inhale deeply both the scent of the rose and McCree mingled together.

Hanzo feels lightheaded. They're both flushed and giddy from the touching and closeness, that they're _actually allowed_ the closeness and the touches, but through McCree's smoky gaze no one could mistake the glint in his eyes for anything other than exactly what it was.

"You got me completely smitten, Hanzo. Never thought I'd ever feel like this about anyone." He takes up one of Hanzo’s hands in both his own and holds it close. "But you ain't just anyone, not anymore."

Hanzo smiles wryly. "And to think I was going to block you the first time you texted me." Hanzo squeezes McCree's thigh with his other hand, watches McCree bite his lip. "Aren't you glad I did not."

"I'll sure as hell drink to that." McCree tilts his beer bottle in Hanzo's direction, smirks as Hanzo's hand inches higher up his thigh. They both lean forward, eyes on mouths. "Cheers."

And that's when the goddamn cavalry arrive.

Hana's excited shout breaks through the haze and they lean away from each other hastily. Hana grabs Hanzo's arm with a grin, bouncing up and down and Lena, Satya, Fareeha and Lúcio follow up behind her.

"I didn't know you guys were meeting us here!"

McCree blinks, looks at Hanzo, blinks again, mouth moving but nothing coming out for a change. "Uh....yeah, we--"

"I called ahead and asked them to reserve our table." Satya says coolly, a bit too slowly and clearly.

McCree slaps his knee and throws his hand out. "That you did! That's exactly what happened and exactly why we're here of course. Right, swee--, Hanzo?"

There's a beat of silence and Hanzo sees Fareeha's eyes suddenly widen as she stares at something above his head. He frowns and only belatedly realises what it is she's looking at when she casually leans her elbow on his shoulder and plucks Jesse's hat off his head and drops it on her own with a fake laugh, just as Hana asks, "So where's the table then?"

"They had none." Hanzo says helpfully.

Lúcio frowns. "None?"

"None.....tables." He finishes lamely.

"And that's why we're waiting here at the bar for y'all of course."

Silence.

"Uh, right….should we go see if they, uh, have tables ready then?" Lena asks, eyeing the very empty tables behind them over her shoulder.

*

"Holy shit, he was about to touch your dick, wasn't he?"

McCree snatches his hat back with a grumble, all the answer Fareeha needs, and tucks the rose into the rim, jamming it back onto his head.

"Thanks a whole bunch for the warning text." Hanzo hears McCree mutter behind him.

"How was I supposed to know you were bringing him here?" Fareeha hisses back.

They're almost at their table when Satya inclines her head.

"You owe me." She says to him under her breath.

Hanzo rolls his eyes, grunts. "Add it to my tab."

"And wearing the hat? After I helped you pick that outfit?" Satya barely muffles her cackle behind her hand. "Seriously?"

He resolutely ignores her and they all squeeze around the table they're lead to on the opposite side of the restaurant by the host. Hanzo is reluctantly about to reach for his menu even though he knows what he _really_ wants when his phone vibrates against his hip.

  


**From: Genji** [21:26]  
According 2 Fareeha someone's date just got gatecrashed lmfao

**To: Genji** [21:26]  
I'm blocking you.

**From: Genji** [21:27]  
I'm just trying to show some brotherly concern >:(

**From: Genji** [21:27]  
Even if I am literally laughing my ass off rn oh my god Zenyatta had to carry me to medbay

**From: Genji** [21:28]  
LIKE IMAGINE THE LOOKS ON UR FACES FUCK I WISH I WAS THERE LMAO

**To: Genji** [21:28]  
Blocked.

  


He locks his phone just as McCree slides a knee between his legs and when Hanzo glances up he catches the sly look on his face before he innocently looks back down at his menu.

Hanzo goes one better, kicks open McCree's legs and presses the slim sole of his metal foot between Jesse's thighs, toes at his crotch until he gets the reaction he wants. McCree as good as melts where he sits under the kneading touch and he's sweating by the time he excuses himself to the restroom, hat pressed more to his crotch rather than his chest.

"Would y'all excuse me real quick? Those drinks're catching up to me. Be right back."

"Aw, Jesse the waitress is on her way over." Hana says. "Want me to just order your usual?"

But McCree is looking right at Hanzo when he says. "Yeah, you can order for me."

Hanzo watches him leave from the corner of his eye, watches the muscles of his back shift under his gait. He wipes his palms on his jeans.

Beside him Satya sighs, almost painfully. "Hanzo, they're taking a while with our drinks. Would you come with me to find out what's taking so long?"

Hanzo frowns, there isn't anything in the world Satya can't handle herself but he follows her anyway. When they're at the bar she crosses her arms and taps her foot and when he stays at her side she looks at him like he's grown another head.

"Well? Go after him, idiot." She lightly shoves him towards the restrooms. "I'll want details, of course. _And_ I'm adding this to your tab."

He goes, darting between tables and patrons and doesn't spare her another glance. When he's stood outside the door to the men's restrooms he presses a hand to the wood and just breathes.

_Now or never_ , the dragons as good as hiss. Hanzo pushes open the door, heart hammering.

There he is.

McCree has his hands braced on either side of the sink, hat beside his hand, head bowed, sleeves rolled up. He barely cranes his head at the sound of the door opening and closing, but then tenses and straightens up slowly when he realises who's casually leant back against the door.

They don't speak. They don't have to.

McCree is on him the second Hanzo locks the door behind him, crowding into his space and pressing Hanzo back into the door. Hanzo reaches for him with greedy hands and tips his head back as McCree holds his face in his hands and kisses him, _finally_ , thumbs at the hinge of his jaw. He slides a hot hand up the back of Hanzo's tank top and down past his tight jeans and further still down past the waistband of his boxers.

He's hard against Hanzo's hip and Hanzo can barely breathe, gasps into McCree's open mouth and fists a hand in his hair at the feeling of blunt nails scraping his skin. He clutches at McCree's broad shoulders when McCree hauls him up with strong hands under his thighs and the sight of McCree flushed and kiss dishevelled beneath him, _because_ of him, leaves him winded.

"For the record this don't count as a first kiss, alright?" McCree pants between more heated kisses. "I wanted to woo you proper and getting our grind on in a bar restroom ain't wooing. This is just to tide us over."

"I am not complaining." Hanzo murmurs lowly, holds McCree's bearded cheeks in his hands and kisses him again, turning it soft and slow and oh so sweet.

McCree as good as whimpers, dying animal noises high at the back of his throat. Hanzo can feel him shaking, or maybe it's him, or them both? Either way McCree hauls him higher up his body to save him from slipping.

"Goddamn I had plans after this." McCree breathes into the soft skin of his throat, eyes squeezed shut tight in a valiant attempt to regain some composure. "A drive on down to the beach, sit up on the hood under the stars all romantic like."

"The next time." Hanzo promises with a smile pressed to McCree's hair, and he tilts McCree's beaming face up with a gentle hand, kisses him again and again and relishes in the slow drag of their tongues, of how reddened and beard burnt both their faces and throats will be.

It's unbelievably cruel that they have to stop. It does almost nothing to tide them over and everything to make them want more, to want everything.

McCree reluctantly lets Hanzo slide down the door and back to his feet, letting his hands drag all the way up his body. Hanzo wets his hands under the faucet and tries to smooth down McCree's ruffled hair and back into some semblance of neatness, combs his fingers through where he'd grabbed fistfuls of that hair not five minutes ago. He starts straightening McCree's collar and McCree let's him fuss with an unbearably fond smile on his face and it's all Hanzo can do to tug him down by his shirt front to kiss him again.

"Go first," Hanzo places McCree's hat back on his head. "Say you smoked after."

“Gotcha. Shit, just gimme a minute." He squeezes his eyes closed and Hanzo hears pained, whispered murmurs of _Torbjörn_ , _melted chocolate_ , and _three nipples_. When he's ready McCree adjusts his hat but hesitates halfway to the door with a sly grin. "Maybe I could tell 'em what really went down."

Hanzo smiles, pushes him towards the door. "They would not believe you."

"Ohh I don't know 'bout that." McCree murmurs and touches light fingertips to Hanzo's raw, kissed bruised throat. Small mercy he has his jacket. "How's about a goodbye kiss?"

"Jesse."

"Right, right. I'm goin'."

*

They part ways in the hall.

"Night lads!" Lena says, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she fiddles at the access panel of her own room down the hall from them.

"Sleep tight, Lena." McCree says distantly, hovering at the other end of the hall.

"Goodnight." Hanzo murmurs, eyes on McCree as his door slides shut between them. He lets out a shaky sigh and leans his forehead against the metal panel, grips the sleek frame of the door and just _breathes_.

He doesn't bother turning the lights on, just throws his phone on his bed and tiredly peels his clothes off, letting them fall to the floor for a change as he gratefully crawls under the covers into his bunk in his boxers and presses his flushed face to the blessedly cool pillow, groaning.

He's on fire, the night's events playing on repeat behind his closed eyes and he's aching in more ways than one. He grinds his hips down against his mattress but it's not enough, especially not now that he's finally had Jesse's hands and mouth on him, nothing could ever hope to compare, but he snakes a hand down into his boxers anyway and grips himself hard.

His phone buzzes beside his head. He resists the mild urge to throw it against the opposite wall and reaches blindly for it, rolls onto his back.

  


**From: McCree** [23:56]  
goddamn

**From: McCree** [23:57]  
fuck are u touchin yourself rn

**From: McCree** [23:59]  
are you thinkin of me lmao

**From: McCree** [00:00]  
cause I'm sure as hell thinkin of you

**From: McCree** [00:03]  
you don't have a clue what you do to me hanzo, how you make me feel

**From: McCree** [00:04]  
you're so dear the sun would come up just to hear you crow

**From: McCree** [00:06]  
I know ur reading these u goddamn tease

  


Hanzo huffs a breathless laugh and tightens his grip on himself, tugs languidly, arches into it.

  


**To: McCree** [00:08]  
Wouldn't you like to know.

**From: McCree** [00:09]  
ur killin me

**From: McCree** [00:10]  
god I betcha could actually kill me tho couldn't u

**From: McCree** [00:10]  
with like, one hand

**To: McCree** [00:11]  
There are plenty of better things I could do to you with one hand.

**From: McCree** [00:12]  
I hope that's a promise!!!!!!

**To: McCree** [00:12]  
;)

**From: McCree** [00:13]  
you are killing me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *zenyatta voice* gays
> 
> i'll update the tags n stuff tomorrow when i'm not died fff
> 
> edit: my dudes omg!!! [saxophonesweetie](http://saxophonesweetie.tumblr.com/) was so kind enough to draw a scene from this fic for [day 6 of mchanzo week](http://saxophonesweetie.tumblr.com/post/162301160252/jesse-sucks-in-a-quick-breath-when-he-sees-hanzo)!!!! it's so perfect, thank you so much!!! ♥♥


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> different smaller groupchat to that one in a previous chapter!!

**To: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:04]  
that shit was a record right there

**To: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:05]  
ain't never been cockblocked by five people at once before

**From: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:06]  
There is a first time for everything.

**To: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:06]  
yeah a first and a goddamn last ffs

**To: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:07]  
hang on a sec groupchat won't shut the fuck up lmao

  


*

  


**Lena renamed the groupchat  Chunderers United.**  


**From: Jesse** [13:08]  
LENA

**From: Jesse** [13:09]  
can yall not let me live??!!

**From: Jesse** [13:09]  
that was ONCE

**From: Jesse** [13:10]  
and that beer tasted like piss anyway

**From: Lena** [13:10]  
You'd know m8 (Eyes )(Eyes )

**From: Jesse** [13:11]  
THAT WAS ONCE

**From: Jesse** [13:11]  
I WAS DEHYDRATED AND IN THE DESERT

**From: Genji** [13:12]  
U were hungover and in Las Vegas

**From: Jesse** [13:13]  
listen

**From: Lúcio** [13:14]  
I mean I wouldn't NOT let optimus prime raw me you know??

**From: Lúcio** [13:14]  
Oops haha wrong chat

**From: Lena** [13:15]  
LÚCIOOOOOOOO CORREIA DOS SANTOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**From: Lúcio** [13:16]  
Listen here leeroy fucking jenkins I won't be kinkshamed in my own groupchat

**From: Jesse** [13:16]  
he'd destroy you???? with his huge alien robot body??

**From: Lúcio** [13:17]  
Hell yeah he would (Smiling Face With Sunglasses )(Smiling Face With Sunglasses )

**Lúcio added  Fareeha to the groupchat.**  


**From: Lúcio** [13:17]  
Tell em Ree

**From: Fareeha** [13:17]  
Pfff nope ur on your own lmao

**Fareeha left the groupchat.**  


**From: Lúcio** [13:18]  
Oh hell no

**From: Hana** [13:18]  
YALL

**From: Hana** [13:19]  
i don't wanna wake up to this shit!!!!!

**From: Hana** [13:19]  
u couldn't wait for me??!

**From: Genji** [13:20]  
Please don't talk about My Father Optimus Prime like that

**From: Lúcio** [13:21]  
Say nyello to ur new stepmom haha

**From: Lena** [13:22]  
as Proper Riveting as this is get your arses in the briefing room cause Winston needs us

**From: Lena** [13:22]  
Except for you Genji you aren't needed for this lmao

**From: Genji** [13:23]  
:(

**From: Lúcio** [13:24]  
Autobots roll out (Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**Jesse removed  Lúcio from the groupchat.**  


  


*

  


**To: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:24]  
you get winston's message sweetheart??

**From: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:26]  
Yes, I am already on my way.

**To: hanzo (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )** [13:27]  
I'll save you a seat (Face Throwing A Kiss )

  


*

Meeting over, all six agents required for the mission pour out of the briefing room snapping into action and off to prepare before departure.

All except for two of them.

Hanzo waits for him in the corridor outside, leant with his hip against the wall. McCree practically lights up when he sees him.

"And I mean, besides the agony it was kinda fun, y'know? Sneakin' around. In cahoots." McCree says, grinning into the curve of Hanzo's neck.

Hanzo makes a noise, smooths a hand through Jesse's hair. "We are not sneaking around."

"Y'know what I mean." McCree says, hot mouth open against Hanzo's throat. Do stolen kisses taste sweeter? All of Jesse's kisses were sweet.

"Satya knows. As does Fareeha apparently."

Jesse hums and they're pressed close enough together Hanzo can feel it in his own chest. "Angela too, and Athena."

"She does not count, she knows everything."

"Aw she totally counts." McCree laughs. He breathes against Hanzo's skin like it's the first time he's breathed in years. "Missed you."

Hanzo smiles, cradles his head close. "It has barely been a day."

"And yet." McCree grins, looking up. They're so close their noses brush but Hanzo tips his head back and crosses his arms over his chest, fights the smirk on his face when McCree makes a faint noise of disappointment.

"D'you sleep well?"

Hanzo laughs. "No."

"Me neither, couldn't get you out my head." McCree sidles closer again but Hanzo halts him with a hand pressed to his chest. McCree stops like he's hit a brick wall and Hanzo slowly, appreciatively, drags his hand up and down his body, stopping just above his belt buckle, over his belly and back up to his throat, thumbing at his collarbone. McCree's chest heaves beneath his palm, Hanzo curls his fingers in his creased t-shirt.

"I want to touch you." Hanzo says quietly and McCree drops his head with a shaky little exhale just from that alone, like someone's cut his strings. "All of you, every single inch. I wanted to spread you out on the briefing table and finish what we started. It was all I could think about."

McCree sags against the wall of the corridor, dazed, wheezes. " _Fuck_."

"Ideally." Hanzo agrees and tugs him down, kisses at the corner of his slack mouth right there in the corridor for anyone to see. He _wants_ them to see. "Now go prepare for the mission. I will see you in the shuttle."

"You are actually killin' me." McCree mutters and Hanzo allows the kiss brushed to his forehead. "The blue balls assassin. Reckon it'll catch on?"

 _It had better not_ , he thinks in mild horror, imaging Genji's reaction if he ever found out.

*

"I'm just saying Han, if you didn't want me to eat half your paella you shouldn't have taken so long at the bar." Hana informs him matter-of-factly over the droning rumble of the shuttle around them.

"That was some good paella." Lúcio sighs from his other side, leaning against him.

"Satya took just as long and you did not touch her prawns." He grumbles.

Hana laughs. "Uh, yeah, we're smarter than that thanks."

"We like our spines where they belong." Lúcio agrees.

"You know she is particularly fond of the two of you. For some reason." He snorts when they both jab him with their elbows.

"Jesse looked like he'd been roughed up when he got back from his smoke last night though. Did you see?" Lúcio asks. "Do you think someone tried to start something?"

"Oh yeah," Hana drawls sarcastically, leaning around Hanzo with a cloying smile that could probably bring the downfall of man. "I'm sure _someone_ tried to start something."

"Wait, what? Who?"

"Oh I'm sure _someone_ knows _what_ and _who_." The grin on her face is unbelievable, she's practically a cheshire cat poking and pawing at his arm.

"I cannot believe you," Hanzo shakes his head in disbelief. "You knew and you still ate my paella?"

Hana flutters her eyelashes.

"You are a gremlin." He sighs.

Hana grins. "Your fave gremlin though, right?"

"For some reason." Hanzo repeats, reaching up and ruffling her hair before she can duck away.

"What in the actual _what_ are you both talking about?"

"Jesse sucked his dick in the restroom."

Hanzo frowns, opens his mouth but Lúcio's loud gasp nearly makes him jump out of his skin. "No way! Holy shit man, get it!"

" _He did not_." Hanzo says, scandalised. "Did Satya tell you that?"

"No, Fareeha." Hana sniggers. "But you wished he did, don't you?"

"I am blocking you both."

"Aw what did I do?" Lúcio pouts.

"You are an enabler."

"And this is a verbal conversation?"

"Irrelevant."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yall know you're the best, right?? thanks for all the things <3  
> (also saw some super sweet tweets abt this on twitter, killed me dead right before my bass lesson lmao)
> 
> ((uh chunder - being sick lmao))


	36. Chapter 36

It's a simple enough mission (observation and interception) and probably over manned but better safe than sorry, Winston had said and of course they had all agreed.

Hanzo and McCree sit on a bench in the fairly crowded mall and lounge as casually as they can, covertly keeping an eye on the target while she’s in their zone. They are the both of them masters of blending in with their surroundings and environment, of choosing when and when not to draw the eye and right now they blend in with complete ease.

"Chameleons." McCree murmurs with a pleased little smile, like life couldn't get any better than being on a mission with Hanzo at his side. He wraps his arm around Hanzo's shoulders, playing up the roles they've been briefed on and no one had specifically said _couple_ but McCree wasn't going to let the opportunity pass apparently, and Hanzo definitely wasn't complaining. He draws an unresisting Hanzo closer and Hanzo leans into McCree's space, into the warm firm cut of his body and he glances at the target up on the balcony of the second storey of the mall, loitering outside an unusually quiet Starbucks.

Hanzo crosses his leg over the other and rests his hand on McCree's thigh, giving it a pointed squeeze when McCree trails tickling fingertips along his bicep. "Behave."

"What? I've just decided we're the real affectionate type." McCree noses the hair at Hanzo's temple.

"You cuddle your gun."

"Aw, you leave her outta this." McCree laughs, breath ghosting over Hanzo's neck, goosebumps rising on his skin.

Hanzo turns his head suddenly and looks up. They’re nose to nose and the laughter dies in McCree's throat like someone's yanked it out of him. He's staring at Hanzo's mouth.

"The target is watching us." Hanzo murmurs with a soft smile on his face.

"Uh," in the blink of an eye McCree regains composure. He grins easily and leans down to playfully whisper into Hanzo's ear. "Cover blown?"

Hanzo shakes his head. "No. It seems she is simply enjoying the show. Almost as much as myself." Hanzo smirks and takes McCree's chin in his hand and kisses him squarely on the mouth.

A deep, low noise starts in McCree's chest and they're pressed so close Hanzo can feel it in his own chest again. It makes his heart hammer, he'll never get tired of it. McCree buries his hand in the loose spill of Hanzo's hair, the other palms the cut of his jaw. Said jaw drops open against McCree's mouth when he tilts Hanzo's head back and presses in close, darts his tongue out to press at the seam of his closed lips.

A poorly muffled giggle in their comms brings them dazedly back to reality and they part with a wet pop. McCree looks blindsided, winded. Like he's two or seven steps behind and he's having trouble dragging himself back to here and now. Hanzo feels the same.

"Job well done, loves! The target's moved into Pharah's zone, poor sod. We'll be out of 'ere in no time!"

"Copy that." Hanzo confirms distantly and watches McCree touch at his reddened lips, rubs his beard in somewhat wonder.

"Sweetheart, goddamn." McCree's hand reaches up for a hat that isn't there, grabs at thin air. "You damn near swept me off my feet. That was one helluva first kiss."

"That was not a first kiss." Hanzo rises to his feet, glancing over his shoulder with a sly smile. "It does not count if it is for a mission."

"Excuse me?" McCree bleats.

"You heard me." Hanzo smirks again and offers a hand down to haul McCree up with him.

"You are something else. Good lord." McCree grumbles almost fondly and accepts the offered hand. "I wanna read them terms and conditions if you don't mind."

Hanzo huffs a laugh but he doesn't let go of the hand in his own and neither does McCree.

He contemplates it, probably not the best time or place, definitely not the best time or place. The things this hand has done, its history, its deeds, its past. The infallible skill hidden within, the tenderness of its sweet touches on his skin. Same scars, same callouses. Same hard life, same burdens. Survivors.

"Hanzo? Darlin'?"

Something in him aches so fiercely and so breathtakingly. He doesn't know how to say it but perhaps he can show it, so he bows his head over the big tan hand in his own and kisses Jesse's knuckles, once, twice, and then finally the palm of his hand.

Jesse inhales sharply beside him and when Hanzo glances up the look on his face _does_ wind him this time because such a soft look shouldn't be possible on such a hard man (but he is so much more than that) and certainly not saved for the likes of Hanzo and yet there it is and it's all for him and Jesse's leaning in and so is Hanzo, but Tracer's voice is suddenly in their ears again requesting backup and it's enough to forcibly clear the want from their heads, if just for the time being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp if jesse is playing the what counts as a First Kiss game hanzo is more than happy to play along (it won't be a long game lmao)


	37. Chapter 37

Back at the watchpoint, Hanzo feels the warmth of Jesse's burly presence as he sidles up to him before he actually sees him and it quietly thrills him, that Jesse is pressed casually against him from thigh to hip to shoulder, right here in a partially crowded kitchen as everyone prepares snacks for the first movie night Hanzo's been well enough to attend. That anyone could notice and read into it what they will and come to their own conclusions. Or perhaps see it for what it truly is. Good, he wants them to.

Jesse empties some freshly made popcorn into a huge bowl, plucks a piece out and pops it straight into his mouth. A quick pink dart of his tongue sweeps his lip. Jesse hums and they're close enough that only Hanzo hears when Jesse murmurs. "S'almost as tasty as you."

Hanzo snorts loudly before he can help it, at least four different people glance around at him at the sudden noise, and Jesse beams, delighted. "I hate you for forcing me to hear that with my own ears."

*

His phone chimes. Lena shushes him with a flap of her hands, Genji throws a pillow he deflects easily but Hanzo just shrugs apologetically, unlocks his phone.

When he sees who the message is from he frowns and glances up and across the room. Jesse is idly scrolling through his phone, face in his hand, legs stretched across Angela's lap and feet propped up in Fareeha's and looking, as he would say, bored as all hell. And way too casual.

  


**From: McCree** [18:20]  
you look pretty as a picture tonight

  


Jesse won't look at him. If that's the game he wants to play Hanzo's more than fine with that. Happy to play along even.

  


**To: McCree** [18:21]  
I know.

  


Jesse snorts from across the room. Angela pinches his knee.

  


**To: McCree** [18:21]  
And you look slightly less dishevelled than usual.

**To: McCree** [18:22]  
It is nice to know you can make an effort.

**From: McCree** [18:23]  
hoooo boy ya know exactly what to say to a man to get his blood boilin lmao

**To: McCree** [18:24]  
Jesse please believe me if I wanted your blood boiling you would be steeped already.

**From: McCree** [18:25]  
I surely hope that's a promise too sweetheart (Smiling Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes )(Smiling Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes )

**To: McCree** [18:25]  
Perhaps.

**To: McCree** [18:26]  
If you can make it worth my while.

**From: McCree** [18:26]  
ohhhh hanzo honey just you wait and see (Fire )(Fire )

  


"Aw man you hate it, don't you?" Lúcio asks him suddenly, looking a little devastated between Hanzo and the phone in his hand.

Hanzo opens his mouth but Hana beats him to it.

"It's cause he has no taste," she says matter of factly. "Did you know he thinks Pacific Rim is overrated?"

Reinhardt gasps. Torbjörn looks betrayed. Hanzo shouldn't be able to read the knowing tilt of Genji's expressionless helmet so well.

"Yeah," Jesse drawls from the other side of the room, smirk clear as still water, jaw jutting. "No taste whatsoever."

*

They're alone doing the dishes together side by side in the unique quiet of the kitchen right after movie night, Jesse washing and Hanzo drying, when they kiss for the first time, the time they both count as the first.

They're talking about everything and nothing, nudging each other with elbows and hip checking back and forth when they stop and just look at each other, _really_ look, and then they're just there. Hanzo watches the bob of Jesse's stubbled throat under his heavy swallow. His eyes flicker to Hanzo's mouth and then Jesse's lowering his head and Hanzo is pushing up onto the tips of his toes to press their mouths together in a gentle kiss.

It's so overwhelmingly underwhelming after everything (Jesse's in his slipper boots and rubber gloves, hair half scraped back into a messy bun and Hanzo's wearing Genji's old tattered Gengar sweater but it's so right, so perfect) they both end up laughing breathless into each other's mouths before sharing their second kiss, their third, fourth, fifth.

And they don't spring apart when Angela stumbles blearily into the kitchen mumbling about coffee, they just turn back to their tasks, Jesse's arms shiny with soap almost up to his elbows, suds dripping as Angela snags a dry mug from the draining board with a tired _danke_ to them both.

Hanzo watches her leave after filling her mug to the brim, downing it, and filling it up again and he turns back to Jesse who's already gazing at him. He looks so fond, so truly happy, Hanzo wants to turn Jesse's face away and avert his gaze himself but also never wants Jesse to look at him any other way again. Jesse smiles like he can read his mind and they both lean forward to press their foreheads together, eyes drifting shut.

Hanzo wipes down the units one last time while Jesse pulls off his rubber gloves and puts them away back in the cupboard and he waits at the door, leant against the frame with his feet crossed at his ankles until Hanzo's finished and Jesse turns the kitchen lights off with a flick of his wrist. It isn't a long walk from there and Hanzo tugs Jesse into his room on their sixth kiss, door sliding shut behind them on their seventh.

*

Jesse curses under his breath and Hanzo brushes Jesse's scrabbling hands aside with a huffed laugh, tugs him closer with fingers hooked into his jeans and Jesse lets him unbuckle his belt with a flick of his thumb, a dazed smirk on his face like he can't believe it's actually happening. Hanzo kisses him as Jesse kicks off his jeans, his boxers, and his slipper boots and they all land in a pile on the other side of the room.

Hanzo slides a knee between Jesse's leg, presses him to the door and Jesse laughs into his mouth, holds his face in his hands, buries them in his hair. "Hey, not to be that guy but I'm pretty sure you're the best thing that ever happened to me." Jesse says, high, breathy and light. Hanzo slides a hand down to palm to him, strokes him with a slack, unhurried hand. "Oh yeah," low, desperate, and arching into the touch. "Definitely the goddamn best."

Hanzo hums a pleased little hum and smirks, hides it against Jesse's throat, kisses any and every inch of skin he can reach. Jesse's hands drift from his face down to his hips to draw him close and that alone is enough to make his head spin and pressed flush together he's already done for and they've barely started. Hanzo must murmur something like that out loud because Jesse just grins softly at him and peppers his entire flushed face with kisses, ducks his head to kiss his mouth so thoroughly it leaves him weak-kneed.

They make quick work of the rest of their clothes and Jesse walks him backwards across the small room. Hanzo sits heavily when the backs of his knees hit the edge of his bunk, he sits and he watches with a dry mouth as Jesse grabs at his shirt at the nape of his neck, tugging it up and over his head in one smooth move and then that's it, there's nothing between them but the rapidly closing distance.

Jesse crawls into his bunk, right into his arms, laying Hanzo down and Hanzo pulls him closer with shaking hands because Jesse is such a welcoming, bulky weight on top of him. He really can't breathe for how perfect it is and Hanzo touches Jesse's skin, _finally_ , the broad stretch of his back, mapping old scars as he goes, some jagged, some faint and barely there, but all with a story to tell. He hopes Jesse would tell him, one day.

Every inch of him gives off a wild sort of heat, like a whipping desert wind, or the smoking shell of a bullet. It's ridiculous how intoxicating it is, how desperate he is for it, for Jesse and whatever he'll give him.

Jesse cups at his chest with what Hanzo would swear is a sob of relief and he's fully hard already against his stomach. " _Hanzo_ , fuck. What a goddamn eyeful, pretty as a goddamn picture." Hanzo can't even speak. Jesse slides down his body, beard and lips and hands trailing fire as he goes and he doesn't stop until he has a mouthful of him too. Hanzo creases with a gasp at the sudden enveloping warmth, fingers gripped in Jesse's hair so hard his knuckles turn white but Jesse just hums around him, makes encouraging noises as he swallows Hanzo down. Then he feels the first touch, two fingers teasing into him and that combined with the hot mouth on him has Hanzo's vision on the edge of blurring but all too soon Jesse pulls off with a wet pop, licking his lips.

"What d'you want, darlin'?" Jesse pants against the inside of his thigh and he bites his lip and squeezes his eyes shut like he's in pain, like Hanzo is the one knuckle deep in him and not the other way around. Hanzo melts where he lays, toes curling, strung out and boneless at the same time because Jesse's crooked fingers inside him and the slow scrape of Jesse's beard on his bare skin is almost enough to finish him off then and there.

"Come here." He manages to say, voice ragged, beckoning, and Jesse's scrambling back up his body into his arms to kiss him. Hanzo tastes himself on Jesse's tongue and the sweet slide of their mouths is enough to make _both_ their hearts sing.

He's burning right out of his skin until Jesse sits back on his haunches, straddling his lap and just watches with hooded eyes. Have his eyelashes always been so long?

"God," Jesse breathes above him, hands holding his hips, firmly drifting up his sides, feeling every muscled dip and curve. He heavily blinks sweat out of his eyes. "Look at you."

Hanzo writhes, chest heaving. He manages to crack his eyes open. "Have you seen yourself?" He pants and Jesse grins. His hair is standing up on end from where Hanzo's raked his fingers through it and it's so endearing his heart really is in danger of bursting right out of his chest.

"Sweetheart, I really wish you could see _your_ mighty fine self right about now." Jesse murmurs, curving over him to press his mouth to Hanzo's stomach, his chest, his throat.

Hanzo chokes on a laugh and snakes a hand between them, reaches down and takes both of them in hand. Jesse sags at the touch and buries his face in Hanzo's neck with a shaky, gushing breath and the bunk beneath them groans along with them and their steady grinding rhythm. Hanzo feels teeth and a hot tongue at the juncture of his neck and tattooed shoulder and it's all so _good_ , so _much_ after waiting and wanting for so long it's all Hanzo can do to throw his head back with a cry of _Jesse_ , grab himself a fistful of his hair and hold him as close and as tight as his can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part of this chapter has been in a word doc called the McLovin™ for so long. be free.....be free
> 
> BIG disclaimer: hanzo doesn't think pacific rim is overrated it just always makes him sad cause he used to pretend to pilot jaegers and protect japan with genji when they were kids
> 
> edit: i'm about to cry (again!!!) bc [mianewarcher](http://mianewarcher.tumblr.com/) sketched the loveliest thing i've ever seen, the _first_ kiss!! here's the [original post](https://miasmchanzocomics.tumblr.com/post/161206404810/the-first-kiss-from-cyborging-fic-modern), go give it all the McLovin™ because it SO SO deserves it ♥♥♥♥


	38. Chapter 38

Hanzo blinks awake with a content stretch and sigh and to the wonderful sight of Jesse's broad tawny back as he shrugs his shirt back on, sat on the edge of his bunk.

"Mornin', lovely." Jesse smiles brightly over his shoulder and climbs back over the rumpled sheets to lean in and give Hanzo a sweet, sleepy kiss. "Just headin' over to the kitchen, fix us up somethin' to eat real quick. You want anythin'?"

"You, back in bed." Hanzo murmurs with Jesse’s bottom lip caught between his teeth.

Jesse sucks in a breath, eyes glazing over. "Gimme fifteen minutes, sweetheart."

"You have ten." Hanzo says with a little smirk, pushing him away and turning over, pulling the blankets back up to his chin. _Dismissed_. Jesse huffs a laugh, yanks his jeans up with a little jump on the spot and leaves as quietly and as quickly as he can.

*

He's three sandwiches and about five minutes down when Fareeha texts and his face aches from smiling so hard when he types out his reply.

  


**To: ree ree** [13:02]  
now fareeha you know I ain't the type to kiss and tell

**To: ree ree** [13:03]  
(Eyes )(Eyes )

**From: ree ree** [13:04]  
You!!!

**To: ree ree** [13:04]  
:)

**From: ree ree** [13:05]  
HIM!!!!!!

**To: ree ree** [13:05]  
:))

**From: ree ree** [13:05]  
Well shit

**From: ree ree** [13:06]  
Is this an international task force or a dating agency??!

**To: ree ree** [13:06]  
no one can resist m'charms (Smirking Face )(Smirking Face )

**From: ree ree** [13:07]  
Yeaaaah sure lmao

**To: ree ree** [13:08]  
or this ass

**From: ree ree** [13:08]  
Tru

**To: ree ree** [13:10]  
also some of us actually have some game unlike some people

**From: ree ree** [13:11]  
???? I have plenty of game thank you the fuck very much!!!!

**To: ree ree** [13:12]  
so how's that girlfriend of yours then?

**From: ree ree** [13:12]  
.......

**From: ree ree** [13:13]  
Shut up I'm working on it

**From: ree ree** [13:13]  
And game, he says?? Lmao you're the one who spent like half a year just texting him……

**To: ree ree** [13:14]  
yeah that's cause I'm a gentleman thank you kindly

**From: ree ree** [13:14]  
U mean ur a chicken

**To: ree ree** [13:14]  
GENTLEMAN

**From: ree ree** [13:15]  
(Chicken )(Chicken )

**To: ree ree** [13:15]  
(Unamused Face )(Unamused Face )

**To: ree ree** [13:16]  
DFGSJFD shit the time fareeha amari u better pray for ur ass

**From: ree ree** [13:16]  
What did I do??!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it still blows my mind (in the best way) that people like this fic!!! i'm so grateful i really am <3


	39. Chapter 39

Hanzo is flat on his back with Jesse's head cushioned on his shoulder when he speaks, softly as not to disturb their slice of content peaceful quiet.

"So Hana seems to think you think Pacific Rim is overrated." It isn't a question.

Hanzo hums, scratches his fingers in Jesse's hair, massaging against his scalp. "She does."

"Y'told me it was as one of your favourites."

"It is." Hanzo says honestly, because it's true. It might be an outdated classic but it has a special place in his heart and it always will. "Hana brought it up during training, how she used to pretend her MEKA was her jaeger when she was younger. I could not bear talking about it. It brought back too many painful memories, painful because of how good and pure those times were." Hanzo brushes a kiss to Jesse's forehead. "I told her it was overrated. She stopped talking about it."

Jesse makes a sad noise into Hanzo's chest. "You and Genji?"

"Yes. It was our favourite. We watched it at least once a week, as good as tradition."

He feels Jesse smile into skin. "What did the two of y'all call your jaeger?"

Hanzo sighs, shaky. He presses his face into Jesse's messy hair, breathes him in, the scent of them together. "I cannot remember."

"Well ain't that a damn shame. Why don't you ask your brother?"

"I _can't_ , Jesse." He tries not to flinch at how pained he sounds even to his own ears. "I know we are in a better place here and now together, I _know_ that, but there are still things I cannot talk about or even think about, not yet."

Jesse is silent below him. The sheets rustle when he leans up on his elbow with a hurt look on his face, like Hanzo's pain is hurting him just as much as it hurts Hanzo. He slides his arm around Hanzo's shoulders and hugs him close, switching their positions. Hanzo can feel Jesse's steady heartbeat beneath his cheek. He blinks wetly.

"Sometimes the things that remind you of the best of times hurt the worst." Jesse murmurs. "M'sorry, sweetheart."

Hanzo shakes his head. "You do not have to apologise, Jesse. It is just the way it is, for now."

Jesse hums unhappily almost as if he's displeased he can't fix everything himself with his own two hands. Hanzo breathes a little laugh through his nose, curls his fingers in Jesse's hairy chest. He tugs the arms Jesse has wrapped around him and turns over so Jesse's spooning him from behind and Jesse presses a kiss to the nape of his neck, trailing all the way to the side of his throat. "You wanna talk about it?" He asks softly.

"No." Hanzo says immediately, automatically. He grimaces. "I do not know. It is not something I have spoken about freely. Never before."

Jesse tightens his arms around him. "You're more than welcome to start with me, sweetheart. Hope you know that."

Hanzo just covers Jesse's arm with his own, holds him close and squeezes and they're silent for so long, nothing but the soothing sound of Jesse's warm, even breath in his ear that Hanzo thinks maybe he's fallen asleep, but doubts it. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath. "Genji used the follow after me, everywhere I went. It pleased the clan immensely. Even as children they were already imagining the empire they could build and expand under our names.

"It was like that our whole childhood until suddenly it wasn't. At some point we came to a fork in the road. Genji took a different path, I had no choice and I could never understand how it became like that. We were inseparable. When all else failed we always had each other. I could not understand why Genji _wanted_ it to be like that. But he didn't, he just wanted his life as his own."

"You know they were feedin' you bullshit the second you were born, Hanzo." Jesse says, hugging him closer. Of course he wasn't sleeping. "The goddamn second your mother had a bump."

"I know." Hanzo says quietly and it's so different hearing Jesse saying it rather than his brother but still makes him need to press his mouth into a tight line against the sudden burn in his eyes. Jesse reaches up and gently thumbs away the wetness on his cheeks.

"You were a goddamn kid. That shit was as good as brainwash."

"I know." Hanzo repeats. It's easier somehow, to talk about it to the dark, safe in Jesse's arms. "Genji had no idea the leniency our father afforded him. Not until it was too late." _Their little sparrow_. "He payed the ultimate price for what little freedom he thought he had." Hanzo takes a deep, shuddering breath. "I would die before I let anything happen to him again."

Jesse hums and noses at Hanzo’s loose hair. "You know, he said the exact same thing 'bout you not too long after you joined up. Shimadas, huh?" Jesse sighs fondly and Hanzo huffs a wet laugh, smiling despite himself and with his heart just a little lighter they both fall asleep in each other's arms, safe and sound.


	40. Chapter 40

Jesse has a mission later that week and Hanzo is right there in hangar bay one to see him off, much to Jesse's delighted surprise. He's leading a small team and he's kitted out in a black suit and tie, beard and long hair both neatly trimmed and hair slicked back for the business convention they'll be infiltrating over the course of the next week.

"Go on ahead, be right with y'all." Jesse says to Zenyatta, Mei and Zarya (also all suited) when he sees Hanzo lingering near one of the smaller shuttles they'll be using, leant against the railings of the takeoff point.

Jesse saunters over with a little grin and puts his hands on his hips. "And here I thought I already got my goodbye this mornin'."

Hanzo smiles. "Where is this convention being held?"

"Now that there's classified information." Jesse smirks with a glint in his eye. "But seein' as I'm feelin' generous I'll let you know, but it'll cost you a kiss."

"Positively extortionate." Hanzo sighs and drags Jesse down by his tie to kiss him soundly. Jesse makes a faint noise of surprise into his mouth and practically melts against him, clutches his hands in the back of Hanzo's baggy hoodie, which is technically _Jesse's_ hoodie.

They part sooner than they'd like and indulge in a shared small smile. Hanzo smooths his hands over Jesse's suited chest, up to his shoulders and refolds his pocket square, straightens his matching tie for him. There's little space between them and when Jesse cranes his head their foreheads brush, hair tickling.

"Lord almighty do I wish I didn't have to leave you right now." Jesse thumbs the sharp slopes of Hanzo's cheekbones.

"Then hurry and return to me." Hanzo runs his hand over Jesse's tie and chest one last time then shoves him away playfully.

"Goddamn." Jesse grins, already walking backwards toward the shuttle and his waiting team. "You best be checkin' that phone of yours while I'm gone, sweetheart."

Hanzo shrugs, smirking. "I make no promises."

Jesse clutches his heart, wounded, and then the shuttle doors are closing on him and he's gone and soon the shuttle is too and Hanzo isn't even halfway to the track field to meet Hana when his phone vibrates.

  


**From: McCree** [12:33]  
miss ya already sweetpea (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it hit me a few days ago just how much I Really Truly Love McHanzo and like yall......i fuckign LOVE mchanzo so fucking much.....yall.........i almost cried in spoons and ruined chicken club wednesday
> 
> also god sorry to be that guy again but i'm just overwhelmed all the time at the feedback / support for this ♥♥♥


	41. Chapter 41

**From: the green devil** [12:55]  
Jesse James Clint Eastwood By Gorillaz McCree.........

**From: the green devil** [12:55]  
Do u have something u want to tell me??

**To: the green devil** [12:59]  
oh damn yeah suppose I do!!!

**To: the green devil** [13:00]  
I'm sorta courting your brother?? (Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )(Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )

**From: the green devil** [13:01]  
........

**From: the green devil** [13:01]  
Um yeah no shit lmao I knew that already I'm talking about the CHEETOS YUO PUT IN MY VENTS BEFORE U LEFT????

**From: the green devil** [13:02]  
THE WORLD IS ORANGE AND MISERY

**To: the green devil** [13:02]  
OHHHH SHIT LMAO

**To: the green devil** [13:03]  
GET FUCKED SHITLORD THATS FOR STEALIN MY HAT

**To: the green devil** [13:03]  
wait wait wtf how did ya know??

**From: the green devil** [13:04]  
Oh please lmfao

**From: the green devil** [13:05]  
Jesse u are as subtle as a gun

**To: the green devil** [13:06]  
you got me there

**From: the green devil** [13:07]  
And those heart eyes (Weary Face )(Weary Face )

**To: the green devil** [13:07]  
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**From: the green devil** [13:09]  
Anyways glad you're both happy blah blah obligatory if u hurt him blah blah they'll never find your body (and u know they won't) blah blah welcome to the family blah

**To: the green devil** [13:10]  
duly noted (Eyes )(Eyes )

**To: the green devil** [13:16]  
.....yknow I'd never hurt him though right??

**From: the green devil** [13:16]  
Yes, I know (Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )(Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )

  


*

"Keep up!" Hana shouts over her shoulder, turning and jogging backwards. "We're not Han Squared if you're a mile behind me!"

Hanzo huffs. "You said I could set the pace."

"Yeah, not a snail's pace. Have you seen an omnic run? That's because they don't, they gallop. Just ask Orisa or Bastion."

"Is that another hoof joke?"

"Catch me and find out!" Hana says, spinning on the spot and sprinting into the distance. "The quicker you run the quicker I can beat your butt at target practice too!"

"You are a gremlin!" Hanzo yells with his hands cupped around his mouth right at the same time Torbjörn overtakes him, glancing back with a startled look.

*

"You would've gotten along with my MEKA trainer." Hana tells him when they're at the target range, closing one eye and pursing her bright pink lips as she raises her bow and takes aim. "And by _gotten along_ I mean painfully respectful and begrudgingly only speak to her when spoken to or to correct her."

"Yes that sounds about right." Hanzo says wryly and only has to adjust one of Hana's arms half an inch and set her shoulders slightly straighter. "You are almost a natural at this, if I believed in that. Your hard work is certainly paying off."

Hana squints at the target, tongue peeking out of her mouth. "I know you're only joking and you like, invented archery and you probably have Artemis and Apollo on speed-dial but that really means a lot to me. So thank you."

"I am not joking, Hana. I truly mean it. Besides, I never joke. I have never joked once in my entire life."

 _Thud!_ Bullseye. Hana beams. "Yeah I'm totally calling bullshit on _that_ one, Hanzo." She laughs, nudging him with her elbow.

Hanzo smiles, nods at the target with a quick lift of his chin. "Again. Hit the bullseye five times in a row and I might just give you Artemis' number."

*

"Yeah, technically I signed up but I would've been drafted anyway." Hana shrugs during their time out, twirls an arrow around in her hands. "There was no point waiting around for it. I was ready to help make a difference."

"That was very brave." Hanzo says honestly. It's not hard to imagine a determined young Hana two or three years her junior marching into the recruitment offices, head high, shoulders set, hands steady and unshaking. "You were so young."

"It was only a few years ago but kinda feels like a different lifetime, you know?"

"Yes, I know." Hanzo murmurs wholeheartedly because he really does. He grips Hana's shoulder with a comforting little squeeze when she glances down and she flashes him a grateful smile, covers his hand with her own before jumping back up to her feet.

"Right, so. One vee one me, scrub. I win and you _finally_ have to join my stream tonight, okay? No take backs, my fans are dying to meet you. Uh, hear you, even. Deal?"

"Deal." Hanzo snorts and they pick up their bows to face the moving targets, side by side together.


	42. Chapter 42

**From: McCree** [16:03]  
cmon one lil pic I'm dyin here

**To: McCree** [16:04]  
Are you asking for nudes, Jesse McCree?

**From: McCree** [16:05]  
honey I'd settle for an elbow right about now

**To: McCree** [16:05]  
Left or right?

**From: McCree** [16:06]  
surprise me

**To: McCree** [16:08]  
one attachment: img_085

**From: McCree** [16:08]  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**From: McCree** [16:09]  
got the best damn elbows (Two Hearts )(Two Hearts )(Two Hearts )

**From: McCree** [16:11]  
love it when I wake up to them jabbing my ribs cause someone's trying to take up my side of the bunk as well as their own......

**From: McCree** [16:12]  
now how's about an ankle (Splashing Sweat Symbol ≊ Sweat Droplets)(Splashing Sweat Symbol ≊ Sweat Droplets)

**To: McCree** [16:18]  
one attachment: img_086

**From: McCree** [16:18]  
HANZO

**From: McCree** [16:18]  
LORD HAVE MERCY THAT AINT AN ANKLE LMAO

**From: McCree** [16:18]  
(Fire )(Hundred Points Symbol ≊ Hundred Points)(Fire )(Hundred Points Symbol ≊ Hundred Points)(Fire )(Hundred Points Symbol ≊ Hundred Points)(Fire )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanna say it's night time wherever jesse is but u know he's bored off his ass at that convention lmao n missin his sweetheart of course
> 
> also for the record he would've been fine with an actual ankle pic he loves hanzo's dainty ankles


	43. Chapter 43

**From: Genji** [10:32]  
You know this is exactly like that time Ana taught you how to spell phlegm

**From: Jesse** [10:33]  
ahdkfhdhf will you shut the fuck up

**From: Jesse** [10:33]  
yall couldn't spell it neither

**From: Jesse** [10:33]  
also HOW is it like that time???

**From: Jesse** [10:34]  
wait wait hang on what's the good version of being called out??

**From: Genji** [10:35]  
A....

**From: Genji** [10:35]  
A compliment??

**From: Jesse** [10:36]  
oh so ya have heard of them??

**From: Genji** [10:36]  
Shut up you know we love you (Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**From: Fareeha** [10:37]  
Ur a chicken Jesse (Chicken )(Chicken )

**From: Genji** [10:37]  
He's a WHAT, Hagrid?!

**From: Fareeha** [10:38]  
Gobble gobble

**From: Jesse** [10:38]  
Fareeha that's a turkey lmao

**From: Fareeha** [10:38]  
Uh gtg

**From: Genji** [10:39]  
DRAG

**From: Fareeha** [10:41]  
Oh fuck I accidentally blew my dusty bookshelf and now I'm choking and blinded rip

**From: Jesse** [10:42]  
sure hope that ain't a euphemism.....

**From: Fareeha** [10:42]  
Hell the fuck no lmao

**From: Genji** [10:43]  
Do u need healing

**From: Fareeha** [10:43]  
:/

**From: Jesse** [10:44]  
some people blow their dusty bookshelves to cope??

**From: Jesse** [10:44]  
lord knows I'm missin a certain someone enough that I wouldn't say no to blowin a dusty bookshelf myself right about now lmfao

**From: Jesse** [10:45]  
despite the send off I got ;)

**From: Genji** [10:45]  
YOU

**From: Genji** [10:45]  
FWHAHT D ID I SAY

**Genji added  Zenyatta to the groupchat.**  


**From: Genji** [10:46]  
Master tell Jesse to stop slacking off on ur important mission because "scoping the perimeter" turns into 20 minute cigarillo breaks to send memes to the groupchat and sext my brother -_-

**From: Jesse** [10:46]  
fuckign snitch ass (Unamused Face )(Unamused Face )

**From: Zenyatta** [10:46]  
Jesse :)

**From: Zenyatta** [10:47]  
Please do not make me use my balls :))

**From: Jesse** [10:47]  
be right with ya zen (Eyes )(Eyes )


	44. Chapter 44

Hanzo is in the kitchen reorganising one of the miscellaneous cupboards they all share when he turns and glances over his shoulder, jaw dropping as he double takes because Jesse is leant in the doorway, watching him like he hangs the stars in the night sky and just for him and not like he's holding two dusty cans of expired soup in his hands.

Hanzo barely even registers practically flying across the room and into Jesse's open arms, who meets him halfway across the kitchen and lifts him up in a little spin on the spot when Hanzo reaches him.

"You are early." Hanzo gasps almost breathlessly into Jesse's slightly shorter hair.

"Wanted to surprise you." And he can hear the grin in Jesse's voice, the warmth, the endearing drawl of smugness at having just done exactly that and Jesse wraps his arms around him tighter, sways on the spot with him.

Hanzo squeezes his eyes shut, flooded with sudden relief. "I missed you."

Jesse smiles wryly, Hanzo feels it against skin, teasing. "Aw, it's barely been a few days, sweetheart."

"And yet." Hanzo says softly into Jesse's neck, gently upturning his face and he almost reels back in shock when he finally gets a good look at Jesse's face and the mottled purple bruising around his eye. It's almost black and he can barely open it but what he _can_ see through swollen lids is painfully bloodshot sclera. Hanzo winces just looking at it, touches tender fingertips to the edges.

"Too slow." Jesse grins weakly, shrugging as best as he can with two armfuls of archer but he looks tired though and the bags under his eyes have bags of their own yet he's still the most beautiful thing Hanzo has ever seen.

Hanzo drops back to his feet and clenches his fist in Jesse's shirt to ground himself against the brief but raw stirring of the dragons beneath his skin, the quickly rising indignation and anger thrumming between them. They hiss and spit and thunder the same thing he thinks, _someone **touched** him, raised a hand to him. kill them. hunt, consume, revenge, **protect**_.

Jesse knows him too damn well if the small smile on his face is anything to go by. "But you should see the other guy. Or whatever the hell's left of him."

And then Jesse's warm hands are skimming down his sides, palming his hips and sliding round the small of his back to gather him close and he noses the soft skin under Hanzo's ear and hums. "You smell so good, Hanzo. God I missed you so bad."

Hanzo tips his head with a little huffed laugh, his hand reaching up to grab at the nape of Jesse's neck, squeezing. "Sit." He murmurs and with effort he pushes Jesse away and into the nearest chair. He rummages in the freezer and finds an ice pack, smooths Jesse's hair back from his face and holds it to Jesse's bruised eye. Jesse stares up at him with so much warmth, still so unbearably fond even with half his face covered and Hanzo goes easily when Jesse drags him down into his lap and wraps his arms around him, holds him close.

They bask in sweet shared silence together and when Hanzo glances down he notices with a small smirk that Jesse is staring at the plaid shirt hanging off Hanzo's shoulders like it's the first time he's seen it. It's _his_ shirt, the same one he wore on their first supply run and they both know it. Jesse raises a hand and rubs the soft red material between his fingers and thumb, fingertips brushing Hanzo's taut muscled stomach.

"Never looked nicer than it does on you, sweetheart." Jesse sighs with a smile wide enough to split his handsome face and rests his cheek on Hanzo's chest. Hanzo wouldn't be surprised if Jesse could hear the fluttering of his heart.

"If this ain't the damn sweetest thing I ever did come home to I surely don't know what is." Jesse says quietly.

 _Home_ , the dragons writhe with the word. Jesse has his uncovered eye closed, like he’s content to stay there as long as he can, as long as the world would let them. Hanzo brushes a kiss to his forehead, feeling and thinking exactly the same.

Sooner than they'd like Jesse heaves a sigh and shifts beneath him. "Shit, I best be gettin' to the debrief, don't want Winston stressin' sending out the search party." Jesse sits up and lifts his head, pausing when they're nose to nose. Hanzo leans his forehead down to press against Jesse's and he kisses the content slow spread of Jesse's smile, curls a hand around the nape of his neck, tilts his head to deepen it.

Hanzo climbs back to his feet from Jesse's lap but before Jesse can stand Hanzo bows his head and softly, so soft the touch is barely there, presses his lips to Jesse's bruised eye in a gentle kiss.

Jesse wilts under the touch, under that impossibly soft mouth, keens high in the back of his throat and clenches his hands in the back of Hanzo's plaid shirt, _Jesse's_ shirt, and just keeps him close for as long as he can, shares that precious closeness no matter how brief before he gets back to his feet with another weary sigh. He takes the ice pack from Hanzo and presses it to his own eye. "I'll call on you in a lil while, sweetheart. Won't be long, promise."

"I will be in your room." Hanzo murmurs with a promising little smile of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOOO DID YALL SEE THE NEW HANZO SKIN THOOOOOOOO AHHHSHDHDBSXHSH AND HIS DANCE EMOTE I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE H
> 
> pls feel free to wax hanzo and/or mchanzo poetics with me on tumbs 25/8 @ [cyborging](http://cyborging.tumblr.com/)


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when u don't update in like 4 days and it feels like 4 years

Jesse's leaving the briefing room when he spots her. "Hold up a sec there Miss Vaswani. D'you--"

Satya sighs and continues walking, if slightly slower. "No McCree, I don't know what time it is but I _do_ know it's way past midday so please don't--"

"Heh, no, I swear it ain't that." Jesse tries to stifle his rising laughter especially when Satya pauses and turns with a raise of her sleek brow. "Just wanted to see if you had a quick minute? Wanted to say thanks for helping us out back at the restaurant awhile back, never really got the chance to say it. Uh, been kinda distracted lately." He finishes with a sheepish grin and rubs the back of his neck.

"Yes, I'm sure." Satya drawls. "And you're welcome, but you don't have to thank me. Friends help their friends get laid, don't they? Not that we're friends, of course. I meant Hanzo."

Jesse smiles. "Of course."

Satya nods. "So if that's all?" And she's only a few steps away when she calls over her shoulder with a little tilt of her mouth. "And please, call me Satya."

*

"So what d'you wanna do?" Jesse asks on a yawn, snoozing in Hanzo's arms.

"Besides the obvious?" Hanzo drawls and Jesse grins sleepily, stretches and turns in Hanzo's arms, scratches his belly.

"Y'know what I mean. Surely with your looks and my brain we can come up with somethin'."

Hanzo snorts and cards his fingers through Jesse's hair, giving it a playful little tug and he can't help leaning into the small space between them to breathe Jesse in. "The bathroom adjoining my room has a bathtub."

Jesse perks up, already more awake then he was five seconds ago. "Yeah?"

"Yes." And he adds wryly. "It isn't very big though."

"You kiddin'? Even better." Jesse says happily, kicking off the sheets covering them and tugging Hanzo to his feet.

*

Hanzo sits on the wide tiled rim of the bathtub and watches Jesse unhurriedly strip off in front of him. It's nothing he hasn't seen before, not by now, but something that still leaves him dry mouthed and his head spinning at the fact that he's _allowed_ to see this. That this is something Jesse _wants_ him to see, something he's lucky enough to have.

Jesse glances over his shoulder with a little smirk. "Enjoying the show there?" He asks, stepping out of his boxers.

"Like you would not believe." Hanzo smiles, face held in his hand, elbow leant on the sink.

"Aw you sweet talker, you." Jesse croons, resting his hands on Hanzo's thighs to lean down and kiss the smile on his face before he climbs into the half full tub.

"Shit that's nice." Jesse says as he lowers himself into the bubbly water and when it's Hanzo's turn to strip Jesse rests his chin on his crossed arms on the rim of the tub and watches through heavy lidded eyes.

Hanzo snorts at Jesse's good natured impatient splashing when he purposely takes forever taking his clothes off and Jesse scoops up a handful of bubbles and blows them at him.

"If you flood our bathroom, Jesse McCree, you will be the one explaining to Winston how and why." Hanzo warns and drops his shirt on top of Jesse's pile of clothing.

Jesse tilts his head with a smile that lights him up from the inside, rests his cheek on his crossed arms. "Wouldn't wanna flood _our_ bathroom now, sweetheart."

It technically isn't a _small_ tub, but for either of them it is and especially the two of them together but they make it work with some careful shuffling and rearranging and they even manage not to overflow the bath and flood the bathroom by some small miracle. Hanzo settles back against Jesse's chest with a content sigh, melting boneless at the warm soothing water and Jesse wraps his arms around him and holds him close, face buried in Hanzo's neck. Hanzo covers one of Jesse's arms with his own, tangles a hand back in Jesse's loose damp hair to keep him near.

"Hey, you wanna know somethin' charmingly embarrassin'?"

"Always."

Hanzo feels lips against his skin, a smile. "You used to make my palms sweat, like I'm talkin' first crush fluttery heart stuff. Just being in the same room as you was enough to do me in. I mean, you still do make 'em sweat but now I get to touch you up with 'em instead of wiping 'em on my chaps."

"And they say romance is dead." Hanzo drawls, dipping his hand into the bubbly water and pinching Jesse's love handle.

Jesse jumps and splutters, whines through pained laughter. "Aw Hanzo y'know I'm tender there."

"I thought of you too." Hanzo says softly when Jesse settles behind him.

"You did?" He can hear the excitement or perhaps smugness in Jesse's voice when he asks.

"Of what your body looked like under your clothing." His hands drift to the backs of Jesse's knees, the knees as good as wrapped around his hips, comfortably bracketing, _always_ such a perfect fit even in a cramped bathtub. "What you looked like, felt like. You are so _hairy_. You have no idea how much I wanted to touch you. I thought of what you would look like sleeping in my bed. Waking up beside you. Your bedhead."

"And?" Jesse asks, plastered to him, grin pressed to his neck.

Hanzo turns his head, their noses brush, foreheads touching. "Imagination could never compare to the real thing."

*

Hanzo touches fingertips to the jagged faded white scarring at Jesse's elbow above and disappearing into his prosthetic. It's a curious thing, quite contrastingly different to his own prosthetics, bulky and sturdy to his slim and angular.

"What did you do when you lost your arm?" Hanzo asks him quietly.

He feels Jesse's eyelashes flutter against his skin in a blink at the unexpected question. "Uh....had myself a smoke?"

Hanzo bows his head, kisses where metal meets flesh. "You know what I mean."

"Emotionally compromised and recklessness don't mix." Jesse drawls with a grim smile. "Lost it back when Ana died. We were workin' a job, a stealth one. Me and Gabe, some of the Blackwatch folk. I overheard his comm." Jesse shakes his head with an equally shaky sigh and Hanzo's stomach drops. "Lets just say how I reacted was the goddamned opposite of stealth and would've gotten my sorry ass court-martialed at the very least if I was anythin' other than Blackwatch. It's a blur and I can hardly remember it even now, but I remember it like it was yesterday, y'know what I mean, sweetheart?"

"Yes, I do." Hanzo aches just hearing it, imagining Jesse's raw pain, both the loss of his arm and his suffocating grief. "How long ago?"

"God, gotta be coming up to eight years about now." They both watch Jesse flexing his metal fingers in Hanzo's gentle grip. Hanzo lays their palms flat to measure the difference. "I'd never seen Gabe like it. He must've lost hundreds of agents in his time, not long lost one of his closest friends in old Gérard but one _cowboy nobody_ ," and Hanzo can hear the quote in his voice when he says it, "loses half an arm and you'd reckon the entire world had ended at his feet. And it _had_ , for me, because Ana Amari was dead and a little girl I loved with all my heart was waiting for a mother that'd never be coming home."

"Fareeha." Hanzo murmurs into Jesse's wrist. Jesse nods into his shoulder, beard tickling.

"Shit was brewing back at base from both departments and I think Ana dyin' was the straw that broke the camel's back. Gabe and Jack were never the same after it." Jesse shifts behind him, water sloshing, and Hanzo can hear the hesitancy in his voice. His arm tightens around Hanzo like he's trying to anchor himself to him. "Somethin' wasn't right. The last time I saw Gabe, you could just _feel_ it, wasn't even just the weird shit he was sayin' to me, he wasn't himself, Hanzo. And I knew what he was doin', tryna get a rise outta me, get me to leave. And I fuckin' did. I left without looking back. _Fuck_ , should've stayed, should've just talked to him proper."

"If you had stayed you would be dead."

Jesse is painfully silent behind him.

Hanzo blinks, takes a deep breath. "But you know that."

Still, more silence.

"Do you wish you had stayed?" Hanzo asks carefully.

"No," Jesse mutters at last. "God no I don't. I mean, sure I used to think about it all the time back in the day, that I _should've_ been there, and then that I _deserved_ to be there, but not anymore and I mean that. Fuck, I should've at least tried talking him outta whatever was going on with him."

Hanzo hums. "Hindsight, Jesse. There was nothing you could have done. You are only one man."

"I know, darlin'." Jesse sighs and he slides a hand down Hanzo's soapy thigh, thumbs the ridge of his sleek prosthetic. "What about these? Prettiest prosthetics I ever did see to match the prettiest fella. Bet they've got quite the story."

Hanzo could laugh, helplessly, pitifully, hysterically, because it's _the_ story. "It was Genji."

Jesse's hand stills immediately, he tenses behind him. "Shit, Hanzo."

"He said he did not want to hurt me, he tried to stop me. He went for my legs. It did not stop me." Hanzo says dully and in a detached sort of way he can remember perfectly Genji hacking futilely at his ankles and knees as he tried to both crawl and drag himself to safety that didn't exist and fend him off. "He almost gave as good as he got."

"Shit." Jesse breathes again, like the air has been squeezed from his lungs, and leans his forehead against the nape of Hanzo's neck. Jesse raises his arm, warm water sluicing down Hanzo's chest as Jesse cups his jaw to press kisses to his cheek, the side of his mouth and he sounds pained on both their behalves when he murmurs. "What a pair we make, huh sweetheart?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> satya "we're not friends lmao joke" vaswani
> 
> and as always thank u all so much for all the support in anyway, it still blows my mind and really does mean the world to me!! (also super grateful shout out to my bud for reading this through ♥)
> 
> edit: AHGHG??? this fic now has fanart!!!!!! the super sweet [mianewarcher](http://mianewarcher.tumblr.com/) sketched the softest, most tender thing i've ever seen with my own two eyes and [here](http://miasmchanzocomics.tumblr.com/post/161182307105) it is!!! i can't thank them enough ♥♥♥♥


	46. Chapter 46

Hanzo rolls his head back against Jesse's chest when Jesse sinks a hand into the water between his legs but Hanzo brushes him off with a snort.

"Not in the bath." He squeezes Jesse's wrist with a small smirk, kisses his knuckles. "I will be out in a moment," Hanzo murmurs and Jesse presses one last kiss to his neck before he carefully rises from the water and the tub, stretching his long legs out from the cramp.

Jesse towels his hair dry as best he can, wraps the towel around his waist when he's done and scoops up their pile of clothes to dump into the laundry hamper on his way out. The shifting, glistening muscles of his back as the bathroom door slides shut is the last thing Hanzo sees before he covers his face with his hands and rubs his eyes hard enough to see stars, just taking a moment for himself and letting every thing and every feeling sink in.

He knows Jesse isn't the type to share something so incredibly personal with just anybody because he himself is exactly the same and it's that total trust Jesse has in him, that they both share with each other, that makes his eyes burn behind his palms.

 _He isn't this lucky, things like this don't happen to him, he doesn't deserve this, never has and never will_.

Hanzo splashes his face with water before the gnawing doubts can get too loud, chokes them down with gritted teeth and climbs out of the tub because even though this means so much to him, to them both, this is still so new to him and overwhelming, especially _because_ it means so much to him. But in a certain way he feels all the better for what they've shared with each other, heart lighter, crushing weight less heavy.

He towels himself dry and slips his robe on but he's halted in the doorway of the bathroom, has to pause with his heart in his throat when he sees what's waiting for him.

Jesse stretched out in his bunk, bare chested and squeezed into a pair of Hanzo's blue boxers because all his own are in the laundry hamper, face held in his hand looking like he was always meant to be there, to be _here_ with Hanzo. He's scrolling through his phone with a slight frown on his face, a wrinkle between his eyebrows.

"Reckon they'd deliver pizza out here? Or maybe Satya would let us use that teleporter of hers. Reckon you could convince her?" Jesse glances up, catches him staring. "Hanzo? Everythin' alright, darlin'?"

"Yes," Hanzo murmurs and he means it. "Everything is perfect." He's across the room and climbing into Jesse's lap in the same breath, into his arms and Jesse makes a pleased noise of surprise into his mouth, grinning happily and kissing him back just as eagerly and he lets Hanzo slide his boxers down his thighs, kicking them away and kicking Hanzo in his haste while he's at it.

"Shit, sorry." Jesse grins and Hanzo kisses the laughter from his mouth with his own little grin, lets Jesse push the silky robe from his shoulders and Jesse's warm, calloused hands sliding on his bare skin has him achingly hard already.

They prep quick at Jesse's own insistence, wants to cut right to the good stuff as soon as they can because he wants it so bad, already shaking for it, for Hanzo and Jesse tells him that himself, murmurs it into his skin, his throat, his mouth. He reaches for the nightstand, rummages through the drawer as best he can whilst still kissing Hanzo with his eyes squeezed shut and keeping him close with a hand buried in his long damp hair. When he finds what he's looking for he presses the condom into Hanzo's palm and flicks open the bottle of lube with his thumb and it isn't long until he's panting and sweating, working himself open on both his own fingers and Hanzo's too, lip caught in his teeth and Hanzo's face buried in his neck, sucking kisses into his skin.

"I'm good, I'm good." He breathes, almost choking on a sob when Hanzo crooks his fingers just right and brushes that sweet spot that makes his toes curl and scrapes light teeth along the skin of Jesse's throat. "C'mon, wanna feel you. _Really_ goddamn feel you." Jesse says with a hazy grin and he's turning onto his stomach when Hanzo pauses him with a squeeze to the back of his thigh, cards his fingers through the sweaty hair on Jesse's forehead.

"I will not be able to see you." Hanzo says softly, hand drifting to his stubbly cheek and Jesse's grin turns gentle, so completely and utterly endeared and affectionate it leaves Hanzo burning from it. Jesse just kisses him, with as much heat and urgency as their first and as heart-stoppingly tender as their _first_.

"Next time, sweetheart. Promise." And heat spreads down Hanzo's spine, coiling deep in his belly and settling in his guts with a simmer when Jesse turns and lays on his stomach, face down and raises his hips.

Jesse prepped himself well but the slow, tight drag still steals Hanzo's breath, still leaves him gasping as Jesse pushes back to meet him and they're finally flush against each other. Sweat drips down Hanzo's nose and the bare stretch of Jesse's tawny, scarred back laid out in front of him is almost enough to undo him already. Hanzo heaves a shuddering sigh and curves over him to press his mouth between Jesse's shoulders blades, kisses over a jagged, long since faded scar he can't help but feel a stab of irony over of his own. _Stabbed in the back_.

Hanzo smooths his mouth over every inch of skin he can reach in time with his lazy thrusts and beneath him Jesse makes the weakest sound he's ever heard, muffles it into his palm and pillow and Hanzo wants to capture that noise forever, wants to hold it close and hold Jesse close too because a sound so soft shouldn't be possible from such a hard man but god, he is so much more than that and Hanzo has to squeeze his eyes shut against the stirring in his chest, against three words rising up his throat he desperately wants to say, that definitely deserve to be heard. He can't though, not yet, and he tips his head heavenward with a stuttered, ragged exhale.

But this isn't all Jesse wants, and Hanzo knows that, and when Jesse nudges back against him, thighs bumping, Hanzo's more than happy to give him what he really wants. He rolls his hips, drags a hand down Jesse's belly to curl a hand around him and every sharp snap of his hips hits Jesse deep and sweet, has Jesse melting and cursing beneath him, praising the lord, praising Hanzo, and Jesse grips his hands on the headboard to meet Hanzo's sharp thrusts, fucking into the tight circle of Hanzo's hand at the same time.

" _Fuck_ , that's it." Jesse pants, head thrown back and grinding back against him. "That's it, baby." And he reaches behind him blindly with his flesh hand until he brushes Hanzo's wrist, finding his hand and giving it a squeeze before he tangles his fingers with Hanzo's where they're holding his sweat slick hips.

Jesse turns his cheek then, cranes his head to the side so Hanzo can see the blissed out but undoubtedly loving smile on his flushed face and Hanzo really shouldn't be surprised that Jesse can still surprise him but it hits him right in his chest, right in his heart and he sags, grits his teeth through a choked sob and one final snap of his hips leaves them both gasping and grasping for each other. Jesse clenches around him and the tight heat of him will truly never not steal Hanzo's breath away and Jesse clutches at his hand like it's a lifeline while his metal hand grips the edge of the mattress of the bunk so hard Hanzo can hear it begin to shred beneath his metal fingers and he can't help but curve over him again, laughing helplessly into Jesse's neck.

Their panting fills the room as they come back down, replaces the smack of skin against skin, bodies against bodies. Jesse groans contentedly into the bed sheets at the stretch of Hanzo pulling out with a tortuously slow drag and a lewd pop, and he turns over, tremulous and grinning wide enough to split his flushed face, raises himself on shaking arms when Hanzo collapses face down next to him. Jesse tugs Hanzo close, kisses his cheek and neck and throws a heavy arm around Hanzo's waist, noses at his greying hair with a loud sudden snort when he hears Hanzo's muffled. "About that pizza."

*

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jesse murmurs later, pushing away empty pizza boxes and digging knuckles into the lean muscle of Hanzo's back. He lays his palm flat and watches the steady rise and fall of it in time with Hanzo's breathing.

Hanzo hums into his crossed arms, eyes drifting closed under Jesse's firm kneading touch. "You cannot afford my thoughts."

A huff of air breathed through Jesse's nose stirring the hair at his temples, the mattress shaking beneath them from Jesse's silent laughter. "Meaner than sin."

Hanzo smiles and turns his head towards him. Jesse massages his fingers in the muscles of Hanzo's arms, curls an appreciative hand around Hanzo's bicep. "Reckon you could lift me up?"

Hanzo snorts. "They are not just for show."

Jesse hums appreciatively, mapping the dark spill of Hanzo's tattoo all the way down his arm, down to his wrist and back up to the crook of his elbow. Jesse taps it just below it. "Used to have myself a tattoo here."

"You did?"

"Yup, surely did. Deadlock one, some skull, lock and wings bullshit. Ugly fuckin' thing, swear the fella was high as a kite when he did it and you'd sure as hell reckon I'd invented tattoos myself the way I swaggered 'round with it." Jesse grins. "S'why Torb and Angela built the prosthetic with the skull, thought I'd be a riot. Gabe didn't think so, Genji sure did."

"Yes, I'm sure he did." Hanzo drawls.

Jesse's still trailing fingertips over his skin, quietly rapt with a considering look on his face as he stares down at Hanzo's arm. "Bet this tattoo of yours must've hurt like a goddamn bitch."

"That is certainly one way to put it." Hanzo agrees. He was twelve when they began and sixteen when it was finished. Nothing in the slightest like an average tattoo, more arduous and literally life threatening if the dragons rejected the host and the actual bonding of his dragons to himself alone took years for him to master before stages of his tattoo could be completed. Genji had thought it the most amazing thing he had ever laid eyes on, full of childish wonder, cried and begged and cried even more for their father to allow him start his tattooing earlier than was tradition. Hanzo tells Jesse exactly that, murmurs it low into the barely there space between them.

Jesse looks both horrified and fascinated. "Well then where was Genji's tattoo?"

"It was on his back." Faint empathises on was. "He came to me the day they started it and wept for hours for how painful it was. He could not stop shaking. After nearly three years I was used to the pain but he was just a child still."

"You tryna make me like that clan of yours even more, darlin'?" Jesse mutters darkly and Hanzo smiles blandly.

"My mother had the tattoo also, despite being a Shimada only in name by marriage. Her throat, in deep red, though it was only honorary, a gift from the clan after my birth. My father had his right arm tattooed, a darker blue, I think. Almost black, with white detailing."

For a brief moment Hanzo imagines an impossible world where he meets Jesse at Hanamura and by some impossible miracle had been allowed permission to court him. Would the clan have gifted Jesse the tattoo also? The mark of the Shimada clan bestowed upon a famed American outlaw sharpshooter? And if the clan _had_ allowed it where would Jesse have had it? His leg? His arm? Matching or complementing Hanzo's own?

But it doesn't matter, not really, it would never have happened in any world or scenario where he stayed to claim his birthright, would never possibly have been allowed, the thought never even entertained or considered, by himself or the clan. He was destined to marry a bride of the clan's choice, a woman of similar birth, meek and obedient enough to play a lifelong role at his side whose family had the best advantages of marrying into. Tactical, cold, dutiful.

That was his fate, that was his fate since before he was born. Hanzo glances over at Jesse, half-naked and not a care in the world, poking at the slashes of gold in his tattoo with his tongue peeking out, and he feels the dragons beneath his skin pawing trying to poke back, ecstatic and hissing and desperate to burst forth and curl themselves around him, to feel Jesse's overwhelming, encompassing warmth for themselves.

That was his fate but this is his choice, and he would choose Jesse, choose this life with the man beside him every single time, over any single thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoooo i know i've said it a million times before but i really cannot begin to fully express how much the support and kind words for this fic has meant to me!!! lemme be super cheesy but genuine when i say it's like a dream tbh (huuuuge shout out to my friend for reading through this for me and picking out those nasty typos even tho she doesn't know much about overwatch and didn't realise at first jesse has a prosthetic lmao, you're the best and i love you!!!! also another big thanks to my other bud for reading through this and for their gr8 advice!!!!)


	47. Chapter 47

**From: the green devil** [13:03]  
Jesse McCree I swear

**From: the green devil** [13:03]  
I swear if you say it.......

**To: the green devil** [13:04]  
I'm sayin it

**From: the green devil** [13:04]  
DONT SAY IT

**To: the green devil** [13:04]  
ur brother fucked me shit lips

**From: the green devil** [13:05]  
I'll give u a 10 minute head start.

**From: the green devil** [13:05]  
U brought this upon yourself.

**To: the green devil** [13:06]  
(Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )(Face With Tears Of Joy )

**To: the green devil** [13:06]  
you'll live

**To: the green devil** [13:07]  
he's a real tender lover

**To: the green devil** [13:08]  
when he ain't givin it to me like there's no tomorrow ayyyy lmao

**From: the green devil** [13:08]  
5 minutes.

**To: the green devil** [13:08]  
oh shit

  


*

Hana's carrying a delighted Fareeha bridal style around the mess room when Jesse walks in, stooping to press a kiss to Hanzo's cheek before gingerly sprawling on the sofas next to him. He tries not to grin at the dull fiery ache he feels when he sits and he wraps an arm around Hanzo, resting it on the back of the long stretch of sofa.

"Now you just need jets!" Fareeha says excitedly, kicking her feet in Hana's arms.

"That's very much the last thing she needs." Satya snorts, recording with Hana's phone on Hanzo's other side.

Hana sticks her tongue out at them. "My MEKA jets are perfectly fine, thank you very much. Check it." She grins and starts to squat one legged with Fareeha still in her arms.

"Yeah I'm gonna need posters of you for the gym and my room, thanks." Fareeha says, inspecting her view from Hana's arms.

Hana snorts and eventually lets Fareeha get back to her feet, high-fiving. "Next time try it with your armour on."

"Well now, seems like I'm late to the gun show." Jesse grins. "What'd I miss?"

"Hana benchpressed Fareeha, Zarya benchpressed Hana, Torbjörn benchpressed Zarya and--"

"Winston had a heart attack." They all say in unison.

"Good lord." Jesse laughs and then leans over to Hanzo. "We had a good run sweetheart but I reckon your brother's on his way to kill me."

"Yes, he just forewarned me," Hanzo drawls, taps the phone in his lap. "Nothing you did not bring upon yourself."

"Aw goddamn you ain't on my side?"

"You are a big boy."

"Hell yeah you know it." Jesse snorts, nudging him. "Don't you have patrol right now?"

"Do not remind me." Hanzo mutters with a content smile and squeeze of the hand of the arm Jesse has draped around his shoulders. The room is suddenly noticeably quieter and when Jesse glances around he's met with a small audience of three people quite openly watching them. Satya, longsufferingly, Hana, pained like her damn parents are canoodling in front of her, and Fareeha a mixture of smugness and also like she's just caught a whiff of something nasty.

"Right," Jesse says wryly, dragging the word out and even Hanzo slants them an unimpressed but amused glance for what Jesse would guess isn't the first time today. "Catch you after dinner?"

"Of course." Hanzo brushes his lips over Jesse's knuckles, pointedly ignores the faint gasps around them with a roll of his eyes and rises to cross the room.

"Have fun, sweetheart." Jesse murmurs feels his poor heart ache in his chest when Hanzo offers him one last small smile, all for him, and waves Hanzo out the door.

Jesse sighs, dreamy, and he hears a chorus of groans and tuts.

"Can you truly believe those two?" Satya asks Hana and Fareeha like he isn't there, with a shake of her head and an eye roll of her own.

"Oh believe me, I can." Fareeha snorts.

"Hey I think it's pretty cute." Hana shrugs, sly. "In a disgustingly cute, two old men find peace and love in each other sorta way."

"Forget every single one of y'all." Jesse says happily, mildly flushing at her words, crossing his arms and crossing his legs, propping them up on the coffee table in front of him. "Don't see none of y'all sayin' shit like that when Hanzo's in the room though."

"That's because you literally _didn't_ see it." Satya scoffs and Fareeha nods.

"Yeah Jesse, what do you think we were talking about in _excruciating detail_ before you got here?" Hana asks with a lethal smirk sharp enough to actually cut, a smirk that drops right off her face along with the light comfortable atmosphere in the room the second Lúcio skates in.

He's geared up, must be searching for Hanzo for patrol and just missed him. Lúcio falters, halting in the doorway and takes one look in the room as the cackles from Satya and Fareeha die in their throats, looks right at Hana and the sudden hard look on her face as she turns away from him in the doorway, and he skates right back out again, as if he'd never been there in the first place.

Jesse frowns, looks at Hana. She's tense and won't look at him, won't look at any of them. Jesse glances at Fareeha, who shrugs helplessly, at Satya who presses her mouth into a tight, unhappy line and Jesse feels his heart sink right into his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh x2
> 
> can u believe i missed the chance to use the ultimate pun here and say sorry for being _radio silent_ for two weeks between the last updates?? shame on me and my cow
> 
> ((thank u taron for saving my ass,, it's 1.30am and also election night rip))


	48. Chapter 48

**From: McCree** [18:40]  
so genji found me after like an hour of lookin but he kept textin me the more murderous he was gettin lmao

**From: McCree** [18:41]  
and when he finally had my ass cornered I was like oh hey there hanzo and when the sucker turned round I went and ran for the hills

**From: McCree** [18:41]  
the hills being hidin in my room of course

**To: McCree** [18:42]  
Of course.

**From: McCree** [18:42]  
but then he just camped his ass outside my door like in one of them horror movies mei loves until he said he had to go meet lena and winston and he'd be back for me tomorrow

**From: McCree** [18:43]  
.......are u doin anythin tomorrow (Eyes )(Eyes )

**To: McCree** [18:43]  
I thought you were a big boy?

**From: McCree** [18:44]  
honeybee please (Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )(Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )(Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Cold Sweat )

**To: McCree** [18:45]  
Perhaps I could ask Hana if she would change patrol times with me and then I may decide in person if Genji kills you or not and Hana gets to patrol with Lúcio.

**From: McCree** [18:46]  
oohhhh shit nope nah that probably ain't for the best right about now

**From: McCree** [18:46]  
they ain't speakin to each other

**To: McCree** [18:47]  
What?? Why???

**To: McCree** [18:47]  
Since when????

**From: McCree** [18:48]  
honey I wish I knew

**From: McCree** [18:48]  
I'll tell ya what tho the atmosphere in that kitchen at dinner was so cold zarya served us her soup in slices

**From: McCree** [18:49]  
not even zen's balls could work their magic

**To: McCree** [18:49]  
Jesse how do we help them?? What can we do???

**From: McCree** [18:50]  
don't reckon there's much we can do right now buttercup cept hope for the best :(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [hanzo rn thinking of hana and lúcio not talking to each other and being upset](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q06kOyqUoPQ%0A)
> 
> u can tell hanzo's mood by his question mark quota,, it's like his mood ring
> 
> ((ps yall are always the best and me heart is abt to burst rn))


	49. Chapter 49

**To: Hana** [22:51]  
Hana???

**From: Hana** [22:52]  
hanzooooo

**From: Hana** [22:52]  
hannerz

**From: Hana** [22:52]  
paging hanzome grandpa hanzo shimada

**From: Hana** [22:53]  
okay look i know what ur abt to say bc ya cowboyfs a snitch

**From: Hana** [22:53]  
the luc thing right??

**To: Hana** [22:54]  
Yes, the Lúcio thing.

**To: Hana** [22:55]  
Are you okay??

**From: Hana** [22:55]  
ya i'm fine lol

**From: Hana** [22:55]  
well i mean no i'm not but i will be whatever lmao

**From: Hana** [22:56]  
sometimes ppl just fall out, even best buds ;;_____;;

**From: Hana** [22:56]  
fuck i miss him tho hanz

**From: Hana** [22:26]  
he really is my best friend

**From: Hana** [22:57]  
apart from u obvs (Heart With Arrow )(Heart With Arrow )

**From: Hana** [22:57]  
but we're adults u know we'll work it out!!!!!

**From: Hana** [22:59]  
we'll be fine!!!!!!!!!!!

**From: Hana** [00:09]  
i hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter but a meatier one comin up for sure!!!
> 
> ☆☆☆
> 
>   
> main tumbs / nsfw+drabble tumbs  
> [cyborging](http://cyborging.tumblr.com/) / [honzos](https://honzos.tumblr.com/)


	50. Chapter 50

"He hasn't played his music for a week." Mei says, looking at them around the table in horror. " _A week_."

"Is quiet." Zarya agrees gravely, crossing her arms over her chest. "Too quiet."

"Hana was so distracted at archery training it was like her first lesson all over again." Hanzo says. "It is affecting her more than she will let herself know."

"Ain't right." Jesse murmurs with a shake of his head. "Not the two them and not at all. Ain't right one bit."

"Fucks sake, they're tighter than a ducks arse those two." Lena sighs with her face held in her hand, morose. Hanzo has never seen her so painfully quiet other than after she's said her goodbyes to Emily. "I dunno about you lot but it's proper getting me down. I really hope it doesn't affect the whole team."

"Regardless of the team or not, we can't simply lock them both in the same room and hope for the best." Satya says, face hard and whole posture rigidly tight in displeasure at the entire situation. But then she purses her lips in sudden consideration. ".....unless you think that might actually work?"

"Nah, you're right there, Satya. Can't force it or force _them_ , neither." Jesse says unhappily but with a confidence Hanzo fails to muster at the moment. "We gotta trust 'em to work it out between themselves, s'least and most we can do."

There's a general murmur of agreement throughout the kitchen, but no one is completely happy or satisfied with the non-solution, tense with the inter-team conflict; Bastion, beeping and chirping in distress to the sympathetically humming refrigerator, Torbjörn, blue in the face and almost purpling with the restrained urge of fatherly concern, Reinhardt, patting his shoulder consolingly, eyes red rimmed. Even Zenyatta looks mildly troubled, sat crossed legged on the kitchen counter beside the sink.

It feels surreally just like a mission briefing, Hanzo muses, albeit Winston's sat at the head of the kitchen table and not the long stretch of briefing room table. Still, Hanzo can't help the dread that settles in his gut because there's a distinctly off kilter feeling throughout the watchpoint, a definite imbalance of the equilibrium. It hasn't felt so _wrong_ since his first few weeks here.

Despite everything though he's heartened to know Hana and Lúcio's plight means as much to everyone gathered around the kitchen table as it does to him. They're his team, obviously, have been for months and months but truly they're so much more than that now and no amount of repression could blind him to that fact that they're his _friends_.

It's a privilege he treasures, like a dragon and it's hoard. This particular hoard being a mismatch team of heroes from across the globe, across time and even space. And when he thinks about it, _really_ truly thinks about it, they are a family of sorts, like a tattered but somehow whole jigsaw. It's something over the past ten years he thought unimaginable, impossible, undeserving, and yet here he is and there they are. He can't admit it out loud yet, doesn't know if he ever will but it's an honour he's still desperately trying to earn the right to.

Under the table, he feels the familiar warmth of Jesse's palm sliding against his own, searching him out. Jesse squeezes his hand gently, snapping him right out his head and his consuming thoughts and with a small smile, just for him. It's soft and warm, closed mouthed but wide and his eyes crinkle at the edges.

Hanzo swallows around the heart in his throat, squeezes back and raises their joined hands to brush a kiss to Jesse's knuckles, right there at the kitchen table in front of nearly all their teammates.

Jesse's smile only widens, sharpens with the hint of teeth, and Hanzo wryly thinks he's probably restraining himself from one upping him and swinging a leg across his thighs to straddle his lap, kiss Hanzo proper.

He's only mildly relieved when Jesse doesn't.

"It would be best to wrap up," Angela says regretfully, rising from her seat. "Genji can only keep Lúcio distracted with a check-up for so long and Orisa has to be at the airport to pick up Efi in half an hour. Jesse?"

Jesse nods. "Gotcha. Already on my way to switch out Orisa for Hana patrol."

"And please don't forget about the experim--, uh." Winston clears his throat discreetly. "Upcoming endurance trails."

"Yeah as if we could forget." Fareeha says on a jaw-cracking yawn, already half asleep.

*

"Cruel, is what it is." Jesse tells him grimly after the impromptu team meeting is over, stealing a few moments and lingering in the hallway outside the kitchen. "Reckon they'd put us on rotation together at least."

Hanzo snorts. "Jesse, I think there is a very obvious reason why they did not."

Jesse grumbles under his breath, knows Hanzo's right but not completely happy about it. 

"You got the day shift, I got the night shift." Jesse heaves a heavy sigh. "Lord is it gonna be one busy as fuck week." He murmurs and gently brushes the hair on Hanzo's forehead to the side and out of his eyes, briefly brushes his lips there too. "Don't know when I'll get the chance to see you proper, sweetpea."

Hanzo hums and barely resists following after the touch. Jesse notices easily and cracks a smile.

"Anyhow, you'll be happy as a pig in shit to know Genji went and called a truce. Said we had more important things to worry 'bout for the time being other than huntin' my sorry ass down."

"A lucky escape, I'm sure." Hanzo drawls.

"Sure was. Promised the next time though I was a dead man walking." Jesse purses his lips, scratches his beard. "Reckon two weeks is long enough to wait?"

"Please do not tempt fate." Hanzo laughs. "....perhaps give it three."

Jesse grins, but it's wistful at the edges. "God, really is gonna be one long ass week with those endurance trails. I still reckon I heard Winston say _experiment_."

"A scientist will do as a scientist does." Hanzo shrugs, idly twists the hem of Jesse's shirt between his fingers. "Granted it is not the best of timing."

Jesse shakes his head, sighs again and leans his shoulder against the wall of the corridor. " _Endurance trails_ , Winston says. A fancy ass new training program and patrol schedule to boot one after the other, cooked up with Satya and Angela." But Jesse smiles then, and touches gentle fingertips to the soft skin of Hanzo's tattooed wrist. "Only thing I know for sure it's gonna show is how long my poor heart can endure being apart from you, petal."

Warm eyes, warm words, even warmer touches and just for him. Such easily offered endearments that never fail to strike right in Hanzo's own heart, right down to his core. He doesn't want to be so cliche as to say it steals his breath away each time but it does and mostly likely always will. Of course Jesse doesn't care he's going to be exhausted both physically and mentally, worked to the bone and pushed to his limits. Jesse's only complaint is how much he'll miss him. _Of course_.

It would be so easy to tell him, Hanzo realises with startling clarity. He can imagine it perfectly. The words are already on the tip of his tongue, have been for weeks, months. He can _see_ the words, stretching across the small space between them like a bridge he desperately wants to cross.

He doesn't though. He doesn't and he tugs Jesse closer, wraps his arms around him and puts what he can't say just yet into their embrace, pours everything he is and everything he's feeling into it and hopes Jesse understands in some way, any way.

Jesse makes a little noise of pleased surprise and holds him impossibly closer, slides an arm around his waist and buries the other in the loose spill of his hair.

"Already missin' you somethin' fierce and you're right here in front of me, goddamn. I'm always thinkin' of when I get to see you next, sweetheart." Jesse kisses his forehead, and Hanzo feels him grin against his skin between each kiss. "How quick I can get to my knees for ya."

Hanzo scoffs, smirks. "You will not beat my record."

Jesse's sweet kisses and his grin drift down Hanzo's cheek to his neck. "You're surely makin' that sound like a challenge, darlin'."

"I am positive you know it is." Hanzo murmurs, letting his hands slide from Jesse's firm hips, up his body and around his back to lay his palms flat on Jesse's shoulder blades.

"Y'know I love a challenge." Jesse grins, thumbing Hanzo's chin, and he tilts Hanzo's face up with knuckles tucked under his jaw to kiss him, soft and sound.

Hanzo melts, always does, hands sliding up to card through and grip Jesse's loose hair and hold him close, kiss him deep.

"Blimey," Lena sniggers suddenly as she zips past them in the corridor. "Howdy lads!"

They barely notice her, both completely lost in each other. Hanzo's hand cups Jesse's cheek as they both offer her a hum of faint acknowledgement.

"Jesse, Hanzo." Winston says brightly, pushing his glasses up his nose with a wide smile and bounding up behind Lena. "Don't forget you're up for patrol first Jesse."

Jesse's distracted reply is muffled by Hanzo's tongue in his mouth.

"Good afternoon, my friends." Zenyatta greets them serenely, gliding past from the kitchen after Winston, and Jesse throws an absent thumbs up in his direction. They both separate completely however when Reinhardt passes by with a fond, wistful sigh of, "Ahhhh, _young love!!!_ "

"Right then," Jesse sighs wryly, mildly long-suffering as they watch Reinhardt round a corner and disappear, leaving them all alone again. "Suppose that'll be me off. Catch you tonight at shift swap, sweetheart. Mighty sorry in advance if I'm half dead to the world."

"Be safe." Hanzo says, urged on by unusual impulse. He says it, doesn't ask it, because how can he ask that of Jesse? It's so hypocritical he could roll his eyes at himself hard enough to actually hurt or collapse.

But Jesse only smiles, touched, so warm and so handsome. He glances over both their shoulders down each corridor conspiratorially, mockingly checking the coast is clear before he grazes soft knuckles over Hanzo's cheek and kisses him one last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u for the patience between chapters and ofc for the support in anyway for this fic!!!  
> yall are always the bestest (っ˘з(˘⌣˘ )
> 
> ☆☆☆
> 
> started co-writing a super cool mchanzo superhero au with my good bud [aeri](http://archiveofourown.org/users/aeriiin/pseuds/aeriiin)!! it's called [capers and u can read it here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11181612)!!!


	51. Chapter 51

**To: Lúcio** [15:02]  
Lúcio?

**From: Lúcio** [15:03]  
Uhhh yeah who is this haha

**To: Lúcio** [15:04]  
Hanzo.

**From: Lúcio** [15:04]  
YOOOOOOO HANZO

**From: Lúcio** [15:04]  
YOU UNBLOCKED ME

**From: Lúcio** [15:05]  
What's up man!!! :D

**To: Lúcio** [15:06]  
The Hana thing is up.

**From: Lúcio** [15:06]  
Oh

**From: Lúcio** [15:07]  
Shit

**From: Lúcio** [15:07]  
Right

**To: Lúcio** [15:08]  
Are you okay??

**From: Lúcio** [15:08]  
Pfff yeah totally

**To: Lúcio** [15:09]  
Are you sure???

**From: Lúcio** [15:09]  
Haha yep!!!!!!!!!

**From: Lúcio** [15:10]  
I am doing just absolutely fine and dandy on this day how are you doing what's up with you?? how's the arrows how's the dragons is that rude to ask?? is that rude NOT to ask??

**To: Lúcio** [15:12]  
I am fine, the sky is up, both also fine, no it is not rude to ask, no they do not mind you not asking.

**To: Lúcio** [15:13]  
Lúcio please know you can talk to me.

**From: Lúcio** [15:14]  
CAN or MAY

**To: Lúcio** [15:14]  
Can AND may.

**From: Lúcio** [15:15]  
Touché.....touché

**To: Lúcio** [15:15]  
I mean it.

**From: Lúcio** [15:16]  
Thanks man I mean it too like I really do just

**From: Lúcio** [15:16]  
I think I don't wanna think about it right now

**From: Lúcio** [15:17]  
Shit was said you know feelings were hurt in the heat of the shitty moment and I guess we're just giving each other space or whatever 

**From: Lúcio** [15:18]  
But me and Hana, we're like.....same hat, you know??

**To: Lúcio** [15:19]  
Same hat?

**From: Lúcio** [15:20]  
Same hat!! Exactly!!!

**From: Lúcio** [15:21]  
We'll be cool eventually though I know it

**From: Lúcio** [15:26]  
Fuck man I fucking hope so anyway, it's killing me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [same hat? same hat!](https://pics.onsizzle.com/the-same-hat-same-h-hat-same-hat-same-hat-2571357.png)
> 
> yep hanzo deadass had lucio blocked for like 16 chapters pfff,, more Concerned Uncles n actual details (lmao) comin up next update!!
> 
> (also high key thanks to my buds for reading this through and soothing my anxious soul before posting)


	52. Chapter 52

**To: Lúcio** [17:31]  
Are you in medbay?

**From: Lúcio** [17:33]  
You mean my second home? You know it man!!

**To: Lúcio** [17:33]  
Good, I will be there shortly.

**From: Lúcio** [17:34]  
Your checkup isn't until after the endurance thing tho?

**To: Lúcio** [17:35]  
Not for the checkup, Lúcio.

  


*

"Hello, hello! Come on in, man," Lúcio waves him over with a bright if confused smile. He's sat at his medbay desk, papers, wires and numerous headphones scattered upon it. It's actually more mess than desk. "You're early for patrol? By like five hours? I thought you were defending Jesse's honour from Genji defending _your_ honour."

"They called a truce, and I am not here for patrol either." Hanzo says wryly and pulls up a chair, spinning it backwards and sitting down in front of him. He gestures with a small, prompting sweep of his arm. "I am ready to listen, whenever you are ready to start talking." 

Lúcio blinks. "Uh.....no thank you?"

"Why?"

Lúcio shifts, distractedly fiddles with some loose wiring, stalling. "Because, like......you're _Hana's_ friend, you know? You're her go-to wise guy. I can't--, you're--"

"I care about you." Hanzo says simply, interrupting but completely genuine. "I do. I might have reached out to Hana first but that will never change the fact that you mean something to me too, Lúcio." Hanzo smiles then, the smallest quirk of his mouth. "We are buddies, aren't we?"

"Holy shit." Lúcio murmurs, jaw dropping. "Ho-ly _shit_. We're buddies."

Hanzo nods. "And buddies talk."

"Okay." Lúcio takes a deep breath, sways in his spinny chair. "Okay so, we're going back about two weeks ago now. We're sparring in the gym. I'm blasting my tunes on this new frequency and Hana gets ejected from her MEKA. Important side note; we've been going at it hours already by then, both skipped lunch, both up streaming the night before so we're already running on fumes--"

"You skipped lunch?"

Lúcio waves him off. "You can chew us out next time, I promise. Anyway, I back off cause we're both exhausted and Hana takes offence to it? Like, _really_ takes offence. She asks if it's because she's a girl? And internally it's taking me like ten minutes to realise what she's asking and I'm like what the _fuck_ Hana, for real? Fuck you if you honestly think I'd think like that."

"And?"

" _And_ Hana squares the fuck up and says prove it. So I drop my gear and we go for it old school. We're kicking each other's asses across the floor and man I swear it's just like the ending of that old as fuck Pokémon movie with the clones, you know?"

Hanzo nods, he knows. It's another favourite from his childhood, and Genji's too. Even their mother and father had watched it with them whenever they could.

"So we're exhausted and we can barely stand and I'm pretty sure I'm bleeding? From somewhere? And we're both probably about to heave up a spleen each but then Hana says something, but sorta to herself? That she's not giving anyone the excuse or opportunity to call us weak just because we didn't have powers or MEKA or music."

Lúcio tugs at his dreads. "I was about to cry right there, Hanzo, I swear. I asked her if that was what she really thought about us, about me. She didn't answer me, she was on the floor, she just--" He cuts off, voice breaking. He looks like he's about to start hyperventilating.

Hanzo rests a hand on his shoulder. "Lúcio..."

"I'm okay, I'm okay. I just hate conflict. I fucking hate it and she's my best fucking friend and I know I overreacted."

"Overreacted how?" Hanzo asks at length.

Lúcio offers him a sheepish laugh, rubs at the stubble on his chin. "I miiight've given her MEKA an extra blast before storming out. Also might have earlier called her an arrogant scrub lord. Something like that. The details are hazy, Hanzo, sue me."

"I am not going to sue you." Hanzo sighs but already he can breathe easier, the dread coiled in his gut already starting to loosen. Why had he assumed the worse? He doesn't even know what the _worst_ could have been. "So, a misunderstanding and a fight?

"Yeah but like it's more than just that though." Lúcio says, pained. He covers his face with his hands, groaning, and his next words are muffled. "I fucked up, Hanzo."

"I am not saying it _isn't_ more than just that," Hanzo agrees. "You are both hurt and nursing wounds. What I _am_ trying to say is that the situation is simply not as grave as you feel it is."

Lúcio peeks from between his fingers. "Yeah?"

"Yes. People fight and people reconcile, ten days later or ten years later," Lúcio briefly grimaces in sympathy. "Talk it out with her. Let Hana explain, have your own chance to explain, and clear everything up together. Perhaps simpler in theory, but if I can do it...."

Lúcio grins weakly and nods. He heaves a deep, relieved sigh. "Yeah.....yeah. Thanks, Hanzo, I really appreciate it. I guess you're right."

"You know I am right." Hanzo murmurs with a small smile, and just about restrains the strange mild urge to do something like ruffle Lúcio's hair. Or maybe teach him how to do taxes or some simple geometry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hana's turn next update!!! (thank u bailey for talking fic stuff with me u are low key a lifesaver lmao)


	53. Chapter 53

"--and then I was like no Lúcio, fuck _you_ right the fuck back, there's a difference between arrogance and knowing you're the best. And _then_ after all that he had the nerve to call _me_ the crust lord of bruised pride." Hana pulls a face. "Or something like that anyway. And yes I know I called him frogspawn first but it's the principle."

Jesse glances at her silently, raises his eyebrows.

Hana huffs, flushing and looking away. "I know, shut up. I know how it sounds. That's the exact same look Lúcio gave me too."

"Ain't nothin' wrong in knowin' you're the best, Hana." Jesse shrugs mildly.

Hana shakes her head, throws her arms up in frustration. "But it's more than that though! You know our kinda work, Jesse. You know we can't be anything _but_ the best." Hana looks grim, ashen all of a sudden. "Because we're not the only ones who pay for it when we aren't."

Jesse is quiet, lets her heavy words sink in because he knows, of course he does. Intimately so.

"Lemme guess," Jesse says softly, tapping his lighter against his palm. She's so young and wise beyond her years it hurts his heart knowing how quick she had to grow up. "You didn't quite word it that way with Lúcio."

Hana sighs and sits heavily beside him, holds her face in her hand, elbow on her knee. "You could say that."

"Downright catastrophic?"

"That's putting it nicely." Hana says miserably. "I didn't even say _anything_ to him. Couldn't. Like, I haven't choked that hard since Fareeha tried to make toast with her jets."

"I'm hearin' what you're sayin' but y'all were pretty out of it, right?"

"It's not an excuse though. Like, say Hanzo somehow shot your ass with an arrow before he'd had his morning tea or coffee. Would you forgive him just like that?"

Jesse grins sheepishly. "Well......"

"Nevermind," Hana snorts. "Of course you'd forgive him."

"Nah but, I know what you're sayin', Hana. I understand, I really do."

"I think I'm more mad at myself for what I said to him before that though. For letting myself say that shit to him. I love him, Jesse. He's my best friend."

Hana bites her bright pink lip then and wrings her shaking hands. He's never seen her so antsy before. "He didn't understand, Jesse, and it hurt like a bitch when he didn't because he _always_ understands. We're same hat, Jesse, you know?"

"I know, sweetie."

"Like, he I thought I meant _he_ was weak. Oh my god can you even imagine that? Like, doesn't he know what I think about him? That he's literally a ray of sunshine personified and the best friend I've ever had? Apart from you and Hanzo of course. I didn't fucking _mean_ him I meant I--," Hana baulks, chokes on her words. "Fuck, sorry, fuck that. I can't turn this into insecurity hour, not right now. God, he's more than his music. Like, sure it's a huge part of who he is but _shit_ Jesse he's _so_ much more than that. And I thought he knew that's how I felt. But he didn't."

"Then how's about you explain it to him? Piece of pie, right?"

Hana scoffs. "Yeah, not so much. I uh, sorta swept the feet from under him cause I couldn't take the way he was looking at me and he fell flat on his ass. I offered a hand down to him but he shoved it away and blasted my MEKA when he ran out of the gym."

"Welp."

"Yep. And like, I know it's affecting the team--"

"Don't you be worryin' about the team." Jesse interrupts with a shake of his head, eyes closing briefly. "This is about the two of y'all, and as much as we hate the thought of y'all both hurtin' over each other you gotta work it out in your own time."

Jesse wraps an arm around her shoulders, gives her a little squeeze. "That bein' said, ignorin' it sure ain't gonna help you none, sweetie." He says kindly after a quick puff of his cigarillo.

Hana waves it away, his words or his smoke he isn't sure. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

Not his words then. "And y'know he's probably definitely hurtin' just as bad. And dyin' to get back to bein' thick as goddamn thieves again."

Hana hesitates and goes suddenly, unusually silent, stares down at her hands. "Really?"

There's a tentative, disbelieving hope in her voice, in her face. There goes his poor heart again. "You reckoned he'd gone and washed his hands of you." It isn't a question.

Hana shrugs and idly slaps the cigarillo from his metal hand and stomps it beneath her foot in near enough the same fluid move. Jesse smiles wryly, doesn't even lament its loss for a second.

"D'you know he hasn't played that music of his in a _week_?"

Hana freezes under his arm, jumps to her feet a moment later. "Shut the fuck up, are you serious?"

"As a damn heart attack and I should know cause I almost had m'self one once," Jesse gestures with his lighter. "We're going back about ten years ago now, me and Winston are clingin' to the outside of this helicopter and he's yellin' red, furious murder and--"

"A _week_. Holy shit." Hana shakes her head and stares out towards the sea, soft breeze gently lifting at her hair. Jesse watches her mouth open and close a few times but nothing comes out. Her eyes are shining and bright, and it's not just because of the sun.

"Hana, even the best of buds fall out, I swear. _And_ I swear the two of y'all will be right as rain before you know it. Hell, Me and Genji have been there and bought the t-shirt too many times to count by now."

"Yeah?" Hana asks, hope clear as day in her voice now.

"Oh hell yeah," Jesse assures vehemently. "Like the ceramic situation back in Argentina, the rabies in that casino in Sicily......straight up textin' him that his older brother had his way with me." Hana snorts outright at that, loudly and leaning against his shoulder, shoving him. Jesse grins. "Y'all are gonna work it out, Hana. I promise."

"A week though, Jesse. A _week_. How depressing is that?"

Jesse smiles sadly and tips his hat back with a flick of his finger. "You wanna shoot my gun?"

Hana lets out a deep breath, long and slow, hands on her hips. "Fuck yeah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u all so much again (and i can probably never _stop_ thanking yall tbh) for the support and kind words,,, it's such a spirit lifter and motivator and really does means the world to me ♥♥♥


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooff i'm real sorry for updating so late, yall know how real life is *skull emoji* thank you for sticking around!!! ♥♥

Hanzo's warm hand on the back of Jesse's neck, his smile pressed to Jesse's throat, and his body so near is a welcome arrow through Jesse's heart after such a long week (of being apart, patrol and training, heart heavy with the conflict of others)

People fall out all the time and he knows that, he sure as _hell_ knows that. But they're his friends and he cares about them and he'll be damned if he can't help but worry. He knows intimately the price of inter-team fighting and while he's never running from it again, he doesn't know how to fix it either.

But for now at least he can push those thoughts from his mind because Hanzo's solid, comforting weight on top of him, his hands smoothing along Jesse's skin and up into his hair just stroking and feeling him at his own pace and leisure like they have all the time in the world is the _only_ thing in the world Jesse wants to think about right now. And forever if he's being honest with himself. He wants to tell Hanzo that, feels dazedly giddy at the thought of it but the words lodge in his throat because he knows if he starts he won't be able to stop, words spouting and pouring outta him like a goddamn fountain and it won't be the only thing he tells Hanzo, so just for _right now_ will have to do.

Jesse cracks a wide smile and sighs out, long and slow and oh so content when Hanzo kisses his neck, beard scratching the skin of his throat. He gathers Hanzo up as close as he can, a palm flat on the broad muscled stretch of Hanzo's back and a hand dipping low past his waist, the small of his back and into the waistband of his boxers.

Hanzo hums and Jesse feels teeth when Hanzo's smile widens into a grin against his skin. Hanzo kisses along his jaw, angles Jesse's head just the way he wants it, a languid trail all the way to his mouth.

" _Agents_?" Almost to his mouth. Hanzo rears back immediately at Athena's firm questioning voice, already on high alert.

Jesse groans. "Mother of fu--" Hanzo's palm clamps over his mouth, silencing him.

"Athena?"

"Forgive the interruption, agents." Is she laughing? Was that a goddamn laugh? That sly AI. "There is an emergency meeting in the briefing room. You are both required."

"We will be there shortly." Hanzo confirms. Attention back on the man beneath him, he slowly lets his hand slide from Jesse's mouth to cup his bearded jaw.

"Goddamn,” Jesse sighs, leaning into the touch. "Duty calls then, pumpkin." 

"As it always does." Hanzo smiles, idly thumbs Jesse's mouth and he looks like he's considering something but Jesse stands before he can decide. He stands and he takes Hanzo with him, arms tucked under his thighs to haul him up until Hanzo wraps his legs around Jesse's waist, muscle memory.

"Lookin' real good, sweetheart." Jesse murmurs through the hair falling into his eyes. "A fella could get used to you up there lordin' over him."

"Hush," Hanzo says with no real heat at all and Jesse can clearly hear the pleased smirk in his voice. Hanzo is staring at his mouth, arms draped loosely around his shoulders. "Put me down. I know you know what emergency means."

"Well yessir." Jesse drawls with a grin and drops Hanzo back to his feet without warning. Hanzo yelps, stumbling backwards so unusually inelegantly and Jesse's cackling is well worth the legs being swept from under him as Hanzo pushes him back down onto their bed, pinching and poking his tender spots and biting up his neck in the sweetest revenge.

Jesse laughs and laughs, breathless and helpless and so so happy, knowing for certain life surely can't get better than this.

*

It's purely by instinct that Hanzo treads lightly on their hasty way to the shuttle (emergency meeting over just as quickly as it had started) and he muses Torbjörn must not realise he's right behind himself and Jesse as he plows along happily with the conversation.

(And it's absolutely not eavesdropping if half of the participants knows he's there, and Jesse definitely _does_ know. That's what Hanzo is sticking with anyway)

"You should take him to Stockholm. They call it the city of love, did you know?"

"Reckon that'd be Paris, not Stockholm."

Torbjörn grumbles darkly. "Well it _should_ be."

Jesse grins fondly, warm brown eyes crinkling at the edges and he catches Hanzo's gaze over his shoulder.

He's so handsome, so charmingly rugged it's all Hanzo can do to stare and snap his slack mouth shut, caught off guard too many times to keep count by now, can't even offer a smile of his own before Jesse faces forward to avoid walking into a pile of stray crates. But his cowboy almost splutters up a lung when Torbjörn speaks again.

"You are both being safe, yes? Protection?"

"Torb," Jesse starts with cheery, complete surety. "Ain't no amount of money in the whole world sweet enough for me to have this actual conversation with you right here right now."

"You're a smart lad I'll take that as a yes."

"Oh my good lord, get enough of this from Angela and Reinhardt." Jesse mutters.

"And he's a good lad himself, that Hanzo. Always knew he was. He'll treat you proper, as you say."

Jesse sounds mildly ragged. "Torb, I'm beggin' ya--"

"Not in that way!" Torbjörn says, scandalised. Hanzo has to snort at the irony. "Now, let me tell you the tale of how I met my dear Tove. It'll be thirty years this September. Autumn was in the air and on the ground, and--"

Hanzo hears Jesse's quiet _heard this tale a thousand times before_ sigh but is spared the rest of the story when he hangs back to check the outside of the shuttle on impulse and overhears _another_ conversation. He rounds the securely closed hangar doors, about to board and take the seat Jesse is undoubtedly saving him when he stops like he's hit an invisible wall at who and what he sees.

Hana, stood frozen at the foot of the ramp of the shuttle, staring up at Lúcio lingering in the open doorway, caught in the moment like rabbits in blinding, fast approaching headlights. Hana isn't on the mission but Lúcio is, and Hanzo knows they always see each other off on missions the other is on that the other isn't. It's there _thing_ , always has been. The looks on their faces seems to say they'd both forgotten.

Hana blinks, opens her mouth and closes it again. "Uh. Hey." She shifts on the spot, wrings her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie. "What's up?"

Lúcio stares at her and without missing a beat says. "The sky?"

A twitch of her bright pink mouth. Hana looks like she's trying not to laugh. Lúcio looks like he's trying not to grin at Hana trying not to laugh.

"As always, huh?"

"As always." Lúcio agrees.

They lapse into a tense silence, packed heavy with everything they aren't saying, with the hesitancy to say it. Hana breaks it by snorting suddenly.

"Can't believe you're stealing Hanzo's dad jokes now. That's what you've become without me? Seriously?"

"Um? Hypocrite? How many times you wanna bet you've said _howdy_ or _y'all_ in the past week?" No one could deny the teasing in his voice as Lúcio puts his hands on his hips. "And excuse me but we both have the same dad joke of the day app on our phones so it's totally fair game."

"Your _face_ is fair game."

They both pause and stifle and hide the faint twin grins on their faces by glancing away and just like that the brittle tension between them is shattered. All that's left is to sweep up the pieces.

Lúcio walks down the ramp slowly, like he's wading through water. Hana pushes away from the railings near the foot of the ramp, instinct to meet him half way.

"We're gonna miss the pride parade in the city." He murmurs sadly when they're close.

"I know." Hana pulls a sympathetic face. "After you spent so long on your setlist, mixing that new song just for tomorrow."

"And you helping Hanzo look for matching rainbow crop tops for him and Jesse. And the rainbow cowboy hat."

"The glitter spray." They say in mournful unison, wistful.

They both glance up and finally look at each other. _Really_ look at each other, the first time in weeks. It's the courage they need, the familiarity.

"You--"

"I'm--"

A hesitant but eager silence settles into the space between them. Too much to say, too little time to say it, and they startle apart when an alarm blares overhead, red and earsplitting.

"Shit, sorry, I gotta go." Lúcio says regretfully when the alarm dies down, lingering like he'd rather be staying here with Hana more than anything else in the world. "You uh....you gonna wish me good luck?"

Hana scuffs Lúcio's boot with her toe of her shoe, nudges it lightly but hard enough for him to feel. "You never need it." She says with a tired smile that falters and disappears entirely when she says. "We can't do this shit right now, Lúc."

"Hey, you're the one who's ass is grounded but still at the shuttle."

"Shut up." She huffs a laugh and punches his arm. "It's our thing, remember?"

Lúcio nods and looks down at Hana's foot beside his own before he backtracks up the ramp. "Catch you when I get back?" He asks, and Hanzo can hear the tentative hope in his voice.

"Maybe." Hana hums, turning away slightly but glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "Maybe if someone can actually beat me at Mario Kart for once."

Lúcio's smile is blinding. "Oh it is _on_." He promises and he's hanging out of the doorway of the shuttle when he pauses, hesitating before he leans back out to her.

"Hana, no matter what shit happens between us, you're still my favourite Song. Always will be."

Hana snorts, flushing before she can help it. "Get those buns moving, Kermit. Go save the world."

Lúcio salutes with a bright little grin and then he's gone, swallowed up by the dim lighting of the shuttle.

When Hanzo approaches her and gently touches her shoulder, Hana turns in a quick whirl and hugs him close, rib crushingly tight. Hanzo sighs and pats her back and has the distinct feeling it's a hug meant for someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ft. a super lowkey and super super late shout out to pride month!!! @Phoeniaquinn better late than never lmao B)
> 
> ☆☆☆  
> 
> 
> updated the fanart list!!! (** - newest)  
> ((honestly each artist's kindness and creativity has me so so humbled and thankful like i'm so lucky and grateful that they've taken the time not only to read this fic but to like it enough to actually create and share their art of it like holy shit i'm honoured??? ♥♥♥))
> 
> [hanzo "secretly" liking when jesse texts him](http://danudaine.tumblr.com/post/161235645919) by [danudaine](http://danudaine.tumblr.com/) from [chapter 14](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10538016/chapters/23635671)
> 
> [wet boys on a quest for the grocery store!!!](http://yukimin.tumblr.com/post/161701845371/aaaaaanyway-i-havent-posted-art-in-10-billion) by [yukimin](http://yukimin.tumblr.com/) from [chapter 18](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10538016/chapters/23734119)
> 
> [hanzo's first date outfit!!](http://saxophonesweetie.tumblr.com/post/162301160252/jesse-sucks-in-a-quick-breath-when-he-sees-hanzo) by [saxophonesweetie](http://saxophonesweetie.tumblr.com/) from [chapter 34](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10538016/chapters/24139575)
> 
> [the "first" kiss](https://miasmchanzocomics.tumblr.com/post/161206404810/the-first-kiss-from-cyborging-fic-modern) by [mianewarcher](http://mianewarcher.tumblr.com/) from [chapter 37](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10538016/chapters/24227640)
> 
> [bathtub time!!!](http://miasmchanzocomics.tumblr.com/post/161182307105) by [mianewarcher](http://mianewarcher.tumblr.com/) from [chapter 45](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10538016/chapters/24551340)


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> super sorry about the wait, had some sudden bastard health junk to deal with but i'm finally feeling better and in the mood to write again, thanks a bunch for sticking around!!

They'd been doomed from the start and Hanzo doesn't know if he means from the day he was born, the day he joined Overwatch, the first text and supply run with Jesse, or getting on this shuttle in the bleary light of dawn this morning.

He'd barely been able to spare Jesse a glance let alone a good luck, be safe, an embrace, _anything_ , before they'd almost been shot out of the sky.

Their small team poured out of the shuttle mid-landing. Jesse had taken one look at him and Hanzo nodded sharply back. Jesse scooped him up with a small grunt, tucked him as close to his chest as he could, and dropped from the gaping hangar doors of the shuttle, rolling about ten feet upon impact.

Hanzo sprang to his feet before the dust had even settled around them, hauling Jesse up with him and that was it, that was all they could afford each other before storming into the fray to search for the team of Satya, Mercy and his brother, weapons drawn.

And here Jesse is now, dying beneath Hanzo's hands.

Hanzo didn't even bother scaling down from his high perch, he leapt and fell hard enough to rattle the teeth in his skull along with the arrows in his quiver. He's moving again before he knows it, skidding to a halt and dropping to his knees, scrambling in the debris as he roughly yanks the golden ribbon from his hair.

Jesse's gasping in a slowly spreading pool of his own blood, clutching at his ruined leg with one hand and the bullet wound torn through his shoulder with the other.

"Oh you can't be here." He breathes, dazed, staring up at him like he can't believe Hanzo's right in front of him. "I ain't that lucky, darlin'."

"I'm here." Hanzo says through gritted teeth, making the decision to focus on the worst of the wounds and slides the ribbon under and around Jesse's thigh, trying to ignore Jesse silently throwing his head back in agony and resolutely ignoring his shaking hands, tying it as tightly as he can around the gaping wound.

Blood seeps through the gold immediately, staining it a murky brown and Hanzo's fingers slip on Jesse's blood slick skin.

Sweat drips into Hanzo's eye. He blinks it away. "Tell me you commed your location."

"Lost it," Jesse grimaces from behind clenched teeth. "Back in the shuttle."

 _And mine._ Hanzo despairs internally. _Lost together, how very grimly fitting_.

A tug on his sleeve. Jesse is watching him with a pained, desperate expression.

"Gotta lot to say to you, sweetheart. Gotta tell you somethin'."

"Save your breath." Hanzo grunts lowly, leaning all his weight onto the wound. Jesse bares his teeth against the pain, neck and back arching, a small sound escaping from between his clenched teeth. "There will be another time."

"Hanzo--"

" _Jesse_." Sharp finality, blunt refusal to accept this is the end.

"Should've told you before, had about a million chances and all I did was keep my big mouth shut for once in my damn life. You deserve to hear it, darlin'. Good lord, do you deserve to hear it."

He can't feel his hands, only the panic starting to flare in his heart. He puts more weight onto them regardless. "Survive then, cowboy, and tell me later."

"Hanzo." Jesse repeats, but softer this time, breathed out on a shaky, fond sigh, a faint smile on his face. Blood leaks and drips from the corner of his mouth and Hanzo could reel from the helplessness of it all. This shouldn't be happening here, not like this.

Jesse reaches up with a heavy hand and cups Hanzo's cheek and neither of them have to say it, they both think it. _A perfect fit_. Hanzo feels skittish as a horse under Jesse's touch. His firm, gentle touch, looking at him like he's the only thing in the entire world.

Hanzo's eyes burn, his throat closes up. Dragons are useless here. _He_ was useless, helpless.

And then the touch is gone. Jesse's arm falls to the ground with a dull thud and his eyes roll into the back of his head. He becomes incredibly still beneath Hanzo's hands, chest not moving. Regret crawls up Hanzo's throat, a wave a nausea hitting him like a tidal wave. He gags on it, suffocating.

"Jesse?" Hanzo breathes lowly, choking on the heart in his throat, shaking Jesse as best he can. Nothing. No darlins, sweethearts, honeybees. "No, _no_ , wake _up_."

Silence, and the sound of Hanzo's heart breaking.

Hanzo curls over him, presses down with all his strength and all the strength he _didn't_ have. " _Please_ ," Hanzo chokes. "Please, don't leave me." And he can't ignore his shaking hands now, trembling in the cold blood drenching Jesse's thigh, gripping him desperately.

A burst of sudden green light. Hanzo's head whips around to the source of the noise, curling protectively over Jesse's body. Debris explodes in the path of Genji's dragon thundering towards them, twisting through the sky, maw gaping. Hanzo's jaw drops but before it reaches them it stares him straight in the eye and dissolves into a mist of thick, shimmering green smoke.

When it settles his brother is all that's left in it's place, katana drawn. When Genji realises what's waiting for him he sheathes his katana and sprints towards them in a quick flash of silver and green.

Genji skids to a hard halt, falling to his knees beside them with a noise of ragged horror. "Code red," he blurts in a rush into his comm. "Coordinates sent. Please hurry," his voice breaks. "It's Jesse."

A beacon of blue light replaces the green of Genji's dragon and his team pour out of Satya's teleporter, Lúcio and Mercy at the helm.

"I didn't even summon her." Hanzo absently registers Genji say in Japanese, in quiet wonder as he helps staunch the still rapid blood flow beneath Hanzo's fingers and the sluggishly oozing wound on Jesse's shoulder. "She just appeared and led me right here, right to you both."

Hanzo can't even speak, can't think, can't feel his arms or his heart and he only puts up a little fight when Mercy and Lúcio drag him away to make room. They have Jesse on the humming, hovering stretcher in no time but he still isn't moving.

Hanzo wants to cry. He probably is. He scrubs a bloodied hand over his face but pauses on the rush back to the teleporter. He scoops up Jesse's lonely hat and holds it to his chest, willing his legs not to give out from underneath him.

*

Back on the shuttle, their medics rush Jesse towards the back of the shuttle and Hanzo follows on instinct but Satya's arm around his waist stops him.

"They've got him, it's okay. Let them work."

He wants to protest, wants to shove her away but he catches a glimpse of Jesse's pale, bloodied hand hanging limp off the medical table just as Lúcio regretfully pulls the doors shut on them, and then Hanzo's grateful for the arm around him because it's suddenly the only thing keeping him up.

"Okay, okay." Satya says slowly, soothing, and steers him into the nearest free seat, crouching in front of him.

Hanzo curls over himself, gasping, and when Satya's sure he won't keel over or collapse completely she squeezes his shoulders, cups a hand around his neck and takes the seat beside him.

She looks exhausted, a small trickle of blood smudged under her nose, eye blackened and bruised. Fareeha was going to be beside herself when she saw, but also relieved beyond belief too. Hanzo can't even imagine how she'll react to Jesse, can't handle thinking about it just yet, can barely process or deal with it himself.

Hanzo doesn't know exactly what went wrong with Satya's and his brother's mission but it's visibly taken it's toll on her and the teleporter she just opened and supported for them couldn't have helped. Satya catches him staring and offers him a tired smile and crosses her leg over the other, folds her hands in her lap and rests her head back against the wall of the shuttle. They're already in the air, he didn't even notice them take off.

"He'll be fine." Satya murmurs, like it's the only possible option.

Hanzo roughly wipes at his eyes. "How can you know that?" He asks brittlely.

She scoffs. "As if he would let such a thing as a shot to the thigh and shoulder take him out."

"You did not see it." He chokes out. _Did not feel the life pulse from him beneath your hands_. He's going to be sick. He presses the heels of his palms against his eyes hard enough to see stars and chokes on a sob. _gotta tell you somethin'_.

A hand rubs his back. He turns to Satya but her hands are still folded in her lap. He turns his head. Genji's on his other side. His faceplate is off, his eyes are red and his cheeks are wet. He didn't know Genji could still cry. The burn in his eyes returns.

"She's right." Genji says quietly, voice steady. "He'll be fine."

Hanzo stares hard at the hat in his hands until his blurred vision clears, and then a slow spark of bright blue light curls his wrist. He thinks perhaps it's Satya's hard light energy, but then two thin twining dragons are glowing into shape, bursting from his arm with a soft gust of electrified air.

Two gasps from either side of him, his dragons tilt their heads at the noise, chirping happily when they see Genji. They leap to him, streaming through the air like twin shimmering ribbons.

Genji laughs, a joyous, choked little sound, and they drape themselves around his shoulders, nuzzling at his wet cheeks, but his eyes are bright for a different reason now. And then they spot Satya, chirping happily, and scurry across Hanzo's shoulders to jump in her lap. She tenses and raises a hesitant hand, and when one raises it's little head she scratches at it's chin. It practically purrs until the other nudges it out of the way for a turn, pressing it's head into her bruised palm.

And when they're both done making friends they climb back up his aching arms to his shoulders. Hanzo turns his face to them, feels them rub and claw gently at his skin and his loose hanging, tatty hair. They drift then, back down his arms and to the hat in his lap. They curl around it a few times and watch him with small knowing eyes when they settle down in comfort.

Hanzo heaves a shuddering sigh and holds the hat and the dragons curled around it closer. With the droning lull of the shuttle, the faint blare of Lúcio's music and glow of Mercy's Caduceus Staff from the edges of the closed doors, he settles down for the long haul home and numbly thinks of the last thing he saw before he leapt from his perch: Jesse, a lone figure in red, six bullets against the world, crumpling under a shadowy skeletal figure swarming him like inky black smoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the biggest bottom of my heart thanks to a great bunch of buds i've met through this fic: [taron](http://yukimin.tumblr.com/), [dani](http://danudaine.tumblr.com/), [aeri](http://aerihead.tumblr.com/), [lochcamaen](http://lochcamaen.tumblr.com/), [cornerof5thandvermouth](http://cornerof5thandvermouth.tumblr.com/) and [theo](http://that-random-emo-girl.tumblr.com/)!!! they've all been inspirations and great motivators and also all round just great people to know and talk to and i'm lucky to count 'em as friends!!!


	56. Chapter 56

Hanzo must be more than half out of it in a restless sleep (if you can even call it that) when he overhears the murmured conversation from either side of him and he idly wonders how much he's missed, and not just the past few minutes or hours but years.

"Genji," Satya starts, and does she sound hurt? No, mildly offended is more accurate. "You're perfect. You are the perfect version of yourself and you don't need twenty years at a Nepalese monastery under your cyborg belt for me to say it or for it to be true."

"It was seven years actually."

Satya scoffs. "Yes, of course, because that was the whole entire point of what I was saying." The end of her sentence sounds quieter, like she's turned her head away from them.

Genji shifts beside him and he's almost painfully quiet (for once in his life) but he sounds achingly fond when he says. "That is what Zenyatta tells me also. What he has always told me. The firmest, gentlest reminder."

Hanzo can picture Satya nodding steadily in agreement. "Zenyatta is right."

Genji makes a small noise, a low considering hum of static. "Thank you, agent Symmetra."

There’s a smile in Satya’s voice and it takes Hanzo by surprise so much he almost cracks his eyes open to confirm it. "Your thanks mean nothing to me, agent Genji--"

" _Results speak louder than words_." They say in apparent perfected unison. There are two tired snorts from either side of him and it's so surreal he's positive he must be dreaming now, especially when his brother murmurs. "You are the perfect version of yourself too, Satya."

"I know."

"You have not been told enough."

Softer this time, almost a distant whisper. "I know."

The shuttle lurches suddenly and Hanzo snaps back into bleary consciousness with a jolt, half out of his seat and fumbling for a bow that's out of reach.

" _Hey, hey_ ," Genji soothes in Japanese, jumping up and holding his hands up placatingly and only touching Hanzo when his eyes aren't as wild and his chest stops heaving. " _It's alright, we're just landing. We're home_."

Hanzo brushes him off and staggers to the exit. The shuttle doors slide open with an electrical wheeze just as Lúcio and Mercy rush from the hull of the shuttle with Jesse on the hover-stretcher, disappearing right down the adjoining corridor that leads to medbay.

But even though Lúcio's arms are bloodied up to his elbows and Doctor Ziegler looks the most ragged he’s ever seen her, Hanzo sags against the doorframe, has to clutch his chest in suffocating relief. _Still alive, he's still alive, they would not rush for dead men_.

"Hanzo!" Hana's running towards him, a blur of fast approaching pink and she doesn't stop until she's reached him and thrown her arms around his neck. She's like a little anchor and he clutches her just as close, presses his face into her shoulder.

"Satya called ahead. He'll be fine, Han. He will. You _know_ he will." She drops back to her feet, ducks her head to inspect the bruises and cuts on his face, the smear of Jesse's blood on his cheek. "Are you okay? Zen's waiting for us, he's gonna patch you up."

"He nearly died, Hana." Hanzo says hollowly and her face is already drained of colour, cheeks already damp but all she does is swallow heavily and hug him again.

Satya and Genji appear at his shoulders behind him and Hana doesn’t hesitate, dragging them down into the hug too and they just stay like that, the four of them intertwined sharing strength and comfort no matter how fleeting or brief or how close to falling apart Hanzo feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks a bunch for the patience between updates!!! and thank you for the beta help bailey!!!! ❤️
> 
> [[will smith pose]](https://cyborging.tumblr.com/private/170459249130/tumblr_p3l1xeaAM91r44kaa)


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